



























































MARY A. BYRNE’S BOOKS 


The Fairy Chaser, and Other Stories 

Each of the stories making up this book will 
vie with the others in popularity with the 
children. 

The Little Woman in the Spout 

A fairy-like creature takes up her abode in an 
old wooden spout, and three little girls make 
her their confidante, and her spout their 
trysting-place. 

Little Dame Trot 

A pathetic story of a little girl who was given 
this nickname because of the queer, old-fash¬ 
ioned way her mother dressed her. 

Roy and Rosyrocks 

A fine Christmas story of two orphans who 
were adopted by a poor Irish woman. 


CLOTH, 12mos, HANDSOMELY ILLUSTRATED, $.60 
Sent prepaid on receipt of price 


The Saalfield Publishing Company, Akron, 0. 














A Pansy Girl 










THE FAIRY CHASER 


By MARY AGNES BYRNE 

Author of “The Little Woman in the Spout,” 
“ Roy and Rosyrocks,” “ Little Dame Trot,” etc. 

Illustrated by ANNA B. CRAIG 



THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY 

NEW YORK AKRON, OHIO CHICAGO 







LIBRARY of CONGRESS 


Two Copies Received 

JUN 15 1906 


) Copyright Entry y 
f 6 (o 
/CLASS CC XXc. No, 


COPYRIGHT, 1906 

By THE SAALFIEL1) PUBLISHING COMPANY 





ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 


A Pansy Girl ....... 

Frontispiece 

“ If that is all, me boy, you were only dreamin’ ” 

31/ 

Tom threw Walter an excited “hello” . 

61 / 

A tiny door opened, and in it stood a fairy page 

75 ' 

“It is her soul—souls don’t grow old” . 

127 

Thousands of her enemies crowded around 

• 143 * 


\ X 













































CONTENTS 


PAGE 

The Fairy Chaser ........ 9 

Kitty’s Ring ......... 65 

The Magic Mirrors . . . . . . . . 81 

The Old Gray Shawl . . . . . . .109 

Cecilia’s Gift . . . . . . . . .137 























* 










































































* 






































THE FAIRY CHASER 


CHAPTER I 

Two Chums 

OW I shall raise fine vegetables,” said Lionel, “ and when 
I grow up, instead of perching all day on a high stool 
with my face puckered and my hands inked over, Fll 
have a big garden and sell to the market men and get a pile of 
dough! ” 

“ And I’ll distinguish myself, too, you bet, only I’ll raise flow¬ 
ers to sell. Ma wants me to be a bookkeeper. Nice time I’d have 
sitting doubled in two! In trying to balance the ledgers I’d get 
my mind unbalanced! ” cried Tom disgustedly. 

Lionel paused in his task of weeding out unwelcomed roots 
and turned an animated countenance up to Tom who leaned against 
the zigzag fence across which they exchanged experiences, made 
suggestions, and rejoiced or condoled with one another accord¬ 
ing to the success or failure of plans. 



( 9 ) 





10 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


“ The folks think we’ll get tired and let them lead us in the 
paths they think we should go,” he observed, “ as if we couldn’t 
do our own thinkin’ when we have to do our own work. Now, 
I’d make a mess of clerkin’ but I’ll be a No. i gardener! 

“ Be! Why we are — just look at all the sturdy weeds an 
things that sprout up under our care! But don’t get discour¬ 
aged, Li, me boy! Why, say, if you don’t look like that picture — 
Raphael’s cherubs — I think it is —, done up in pants and freckles! ” 
Lionel, kneeling bare-legged on the ground with his eyes 
turned upward in Tom’s direction, gave a merry chuckle. 

“Do the angels sweat I wonder?” he queried, mopping his 
glowing face with the back of his hand. “ And you look like the 
other fellow! ‘ Did you ever see the devil with —’ ” 

“ Why, I’m ‘ The Man with the Hoe,’—” returned Tom, strik¬ 
ing a pose. 

“ Without the hose you mean,” corrected Lionel, gazing at 
Tom’s bare knees. “To work — to work! Ease is demoralizing 
to one of your tired temperament or thermometer or whatever you 
call it. ” They resumed their interrupted occupation. 

The two lads, Tom Desmond and Lionel Jackson lived in a 
country town in cottages that stood like amiable twins side by side 
but not connected, the one dressed in light brown, the other in 
white, each in summer broidered over with climbing plants; in 





THE FAIRY CHASER 


11 


front of each a green-trimmed hood of a porch projected out to 
a smooth lawn where giant locust trees kept guard on both sides 
of the gate. A broad path led around the right side of both houses 
to the back porch and thence through the grape arbors, beyond 
which it was bordered by thickly growing bushes of currants and 
gooseberries which separated it from the vegetable beds. 

At the upper end of the gardens the boys’ special property 
was situated, the beloved plots which in a way typified their free¬ 
dom, as boys, to make choice of their life work, and their inde¬ 
pendence as men, to do the work for which they were fitted, the 
work they liked best. 

Early in March a newspaper which made its weekly appear¬ 
ance at the Desmonds’ had been pounced on by Tom, who devoured 
it along with a pocketful of red-cheeked apples as he stretched 
himself comfortably on the sitting room lounge. It contained an 
article which had suggested the idea of having these gardens — a 
thought which struck Tom pleasantly and forcibly and induced him 
to quit the cheery warmth of the house for the frost-bitten outside 
path which led to the Jacksons’. 

Lionel came out and during a long walk the matter was dis¬ 
cussed. It appealed to them perhaps the more because it was work 
so opposite to that which their mothers had mapped out for them. 
Presenting it at first as a mere diversion, ready permission was 



12 


THE EAIRY CHASER 


obtained from their parents and preparations were at once made 
for the undertaking. 

Now, anyone not acquainted with the boys would think that 
a lad with the romantic name of Lionel would have preferred to 
raise flowers and that vegetables should be Tom’s specialty, but 
seeing them, Lionel with his broad, thickly-freckled face and his 
wide-awake, azure eyes and Tom’s somewhat thin face, dark com¬ 
plexion and great, dreamy orbs, sometimes brown, sometimes gray, 
changing with their owner’s moods, even a stranger could easily 
guess the choice each would make. 

The tastes of both were similar to the degree of loving out-door 
life. What delightful times they had together, fishing, exploring 
the hills and woods all the countryside around, picking berries, 
gathering nuts and in winter taking part in all the country sports! 
They attended school regularly for the six months’ term each year 
but they did not love to go. Lionel cared not at all for books 
and studied only what he could not avoid. Tom was fond of 
reading, acquired knowledge with facility, but, like Lionel, he con¬ 
sidered the hours spent in the schoolroom wasted time. How¬ 
ever, as the term was for the most part in winter weather, they 
managed to put in the time, urged on by insisting elders. Later 
in life they confessed that it had done them a world of good and 
that if they had been wiser they would have profited more. 



THE FAIRY CHASER 


13 


In summer they went shoeless with trousers so carefully 
patched and re-patched that they would have resembled crazy 
quilts if the lads’ mothers had not taken the trouble to procure 
cloth for the mending of a shade similar to the original. When 
called upon to admire articles of fancy work or wonderful “spreads” 
exhibited by other women whose sons were less restless, no doubt 
the ladies sighed to think of what they, too, might have accom¬ 
plished were it not for those garments always turning up in the 
“repair shop”—as the boys dubbed the work-baskets — except at 
the times when, to insure freer movements, they were worn turned 
up at their owners’ knees. For the same reason and not because 
they were buttonless their shirts were worn open at the throat. 
Battered straw hats, generally clapped on the back of their heads, 
accounted for Lionel’s freckles and Tom’s deepened tan. 

Seeing them thus you would doubtless predict that to turn 
those two liberty-loving spirits to clerical pursuits would prove 
disastrous all around. 

When Lionel’s maternal parent spoke of his studying law 
and Tom’s declared that bookkeeping was “just the thing” for 
her boy, the lads listened and made no audible comment, then 
seeking one another, they “ kicked ” in every sense of the word, 
protesting against so direful a fate with all the eloquence at their 
command. 



14 


THE P AIRY CHASER 

When the recent passing of a certain date had given Tom the 
right to say proudly, “ I am twelve years old to-day/’ Lionel had 
chased him through the garden and down the road until he had 
administered the dozen blows du'e — and being of a generous nature 
made it a baker’s dozen— while Tom, panting, promised to get 
even in a few weeks’ time. Aunt Julia bought him a present 
of a tooth brush, regarding which his mother gave him strict orders 
to use daily, and “ Tootsy Wootsy,” his two-year-old sister, pre¬ 
sented him with eighteen kisses, one and a half for each year, and 
his father bestowed some good advice in relation to the doing of 
the chores. Walter Jackson, three years his junior, wearied of 
Tom’s superior airs, declared that “-It was no pumpkins to be 
twelve years old. Lots of people had been that before and others 
would be it ere long,” or something to that effect, in which sweep¬ 
ing denunciation he included his brother Lionel who was some¬ 
times inclined to “ lord ” it over him. Well, it was shortly after 
this memorable day that Tom, hearing his mother refer to his 
future stool-bound career, had the temerity to speak out, saying: 

“Then you want me to grow like old Dad Dowie. He’s 
been bookkeeping at the grocery for thirty years. His eyes are 
like tired ciphers and the other figures are spread all over his face. 
His back is bent and he looks as if lie’s grown to the chair. I 
used to think it was a part of him until I watched one day and 



THE FAIRY CHASER 


15 


saw him tumbling off. His salary has been reduced each year 
for the last five simply because, although he is better acquainted 
with the work and knows all about the business and keeps the 
custom, he is growing old! ” 

How many times had he and Lionel repeated these rebellious 
ideas to each other but this was Mrs. Desmond’s first experience 
as their auditor. 

“ Why, Tom, you to grow to be like old Mr. Dowie, the 
idea! ” she cried, laughing heartily. For her expectations were 
that her boy should have a beautifully-fitted office in a grand build¬ 
ing and sit idly all day overseeing the workers and in a few years 
being admitted to partnership in a wealthy firm which had the 
honor of his services, then return to his native town, a man of 
might and influence. 

“Well, ma, what else! I’m sure I’d have no chance in a 
big city where hundreds of boys are seeking work so I’d have to 
start in at Teller’s for two dollars a week; at the end of half a 
century I’d get paid ten dollars and then when I’d worn my life 
out in hateful bondage they’d cut down my salary!” 

He uttered the concluding words as might a tragedian in the 
most dramatic part of the play, then, as an afterthought he gave 
voice to what was really the most important article in his declara¬ 
tion of independence — 



16 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


“No, ma, I don’t want to hold down a high stool all my 
life and I won’t do it if I can help it!” 

He grabbed his hat and ran away, not waiting to note the 
result of his first public blow, or speech, for liberty. 

If in the past he had ever murmured a word of protest to 
his mother in reference to her cherished plan she might have been 
prepared for this. As it was she was very much surprised. She 
told her husband that evening of her encounter with Tom. He 
treated the matter lightly. 

“ But bookkeeping is so easy and so—so genteel,” urged the lady. 

“Genteel, Myra, I hate the word! I don’t want Tom to grow 
into one of those mincing fools who are afear’d to speak or smile 
for fear the onlooker w’d think he didn’t b’long to his own * set ’ 
while all the time you couldn’t mistake the ‘set’ he b’longed to, 
not if he’d laugh the top of his head off until you could see the 
empty space beneath! ” 

“Haw sakes, Hiram! Now, if Tom took to oratin,’ I’d be 
at no loss to see where he took that , I’m sure he doesn’t take his 
dislike of respectable work from my side of the house! ” 

“ I guess he got his ambition from mine! But we will not 
force him in the matter! Let him argue it out, and when he’s 
old enough, make a choice for himself, and we can only do our 
best in helping him to carry it out.” 



THE FAIRY CHASER 


17 


“ He and Lionel Jackson are always mussing in the garden 
of late,” observed his wife. 

“ Yes, Tom intends to try floriculture and Lionel to raise vege- 
tables. Let us watch the outcome.” 

“ But to be always grubbing in the earth and depending on crops 
and weather and such things! ” 

“ They will at least live in the free air and support themselves 
and perhaps astonish us all yet!” 

“ Well, Tom is still young, and if he keeps on hating the idea of 
clerical work, why, I’ll not be the one to force him to it,” Mrs. 
Desmond concluded with a sigh as she saw her dream of Tom in the 
character of a man of wealth and influence fading away. 

Lionel, encouraged by Tom’s example, also made his declaration 
of war, and his parents having talked the matter over with Tom’s, 
decided not to press him for the present. 

The boys felt that the result of their gardening experiment 
would determine to a certain extent the wisdom of their choice; they 
resolved accordingly to leave nothing undone to make it successful. 
They had their regular work — helping in the family garden as they 
called it now, while the smaller ones were referred to as Tom’s and 
Lionel’s — and daily chores to do; consequently their small plots 
received attention only during hours taken from play, but it proved a 
source of much pleasure. They dug and hoed and raked and planted 


2 



18 


THE PAIRY CHASER 


seeds and listened eagerly to directions given by more experienced 
gardeners, which they tried faithfully to carry out, and when Tom’s 
sweet peas and Lionel's lettuce were discovered one morning to have 
raised their pale green shoots from the ground, there was joy in two 
young hearts. Everybody congratulated them, even Tootsy Wootsy 
showed her appreciation by reaching chubby, anxious hands to gather 
the “pitty pittys,” but Tom stood guard over his treasures. 

With much thought were the tiny beds planned and laid out in 
oblongs and squares, Tom’s with a star and his friend’s with a circle 
in the center, and when the flowers and vegetables began to grow 
more vigorously the saucy weeds which dared to flaunt up between 
were ruthlessly slaughtered root and flower — well, not exactly the 
latter, seeing they were expelled long ere that process could have 
taken place. 

“ Just look at them, me boy! Ain’t they fine? ” cried Lionel one 
day, while he sat upon the dividing fence glancing alternately at the 
little gardens. 

“Yes,” returned Tom, rising from his kneeling posture and 
wiping his heated brow. “ They are models of the large ones we will 
have in the sweet bye and bye.” 

“ Buy and sell,” corrected Lionel. 

They certainly had reason for this hearty admiration. June had 
come; hyacinths and tulips were in bloom; the sweet peas had reached 



THE FAIRY CHASER 


19 


up, waving red, white, and blue blossoms above their props; honey¬ 
suckles scented the air; there was a profusion of larkspur, ladv- 
slippers— those old fashioned favorites,— and a narrow band of 
portulacca in a shaded corner. 

On the opposite side of the fence peas and beans were seen, fat 
pods hanging along the tall poles amid their green leaves, onions, 
radishes and other small vegetables grew valiantly, besides lettuce 
and salads which had been used on the table and pronounced of a 
superior quality. 

Of course it had cost much work fighting weeds and destructive 
insects, watering, manuring, pruning and training, but the result 
was even beyond their expectations; therefore on this occasion there 
was ample cause for pride. 

After a while Tom remarked suddenly: “ I’ve been cogitating.’’ 
Lionel gave an exaggerated start. 

“ Not possible! ” 

“ How would it do for us to have an old-fashioned rocky 
mountain like old Mrs. Gale’s? We could build half on this side and 
half on yours, with the fence hid by moss and things. ” 

“It strikes me all right. Tommy, you’re a born gen-i-us!” 
cried his companion, giving the genius such a whack on the back 
that they both tumbled off the fence alighting, fortunately, just below 
those precious gardens. 



20 


THE PAIRY CHASER 


The next morning work was commenced on the new under¬ 
taking. Walter, who was generally excluded from their schemes, 
was generously allowed to help on this one by carrying stones from 
the roads and neighboring fields, and even from the bed of Dunlap’s 
creek, not far away, which they piled in artistic disorder. 

Lionel declared they would put their namesakes, the real 
Rockies, to shame and make them hide their heads neath their 
“ night caps ” of snow. 

“ I don’t see why you call them Rockies when not one stone was 
taken from the Rocky Mountains,” said Walter. 

“ We might christen ’em the ‘ Chestnut Ridge,’ ’cause we’ve 
used up so many old stones that have been lying in the road for 
years,” suggested Lionel. 

“ Or better still the Blue Ridge — my little toe is black and blue 
from where that pesky stone fell on it,” cried Tom, surveying the 
bruised member. 

“And my fingers are all scratched in ridges from toting ’em,” 
added Walter holding up his much-abused hands, the while prepared 
for flight should his more brilliant metaphor arouse the jealousy of 
the larger lads. 

In the course of a few days the mountain stood almost as solid 
as the everlasting hills which surrounded the town. A neat imitation 
railway track with a white sanded wagon-road beside encircled it, 



THE F AIRY CHASER 


21 


curving around immense “ boulders ” and over deep “ canons,” and 
to complete the illusion, a pretty station which resembled a Gothic 
summer house was perched near the summit. 

“All it needs now is ferns and things. We’ll go over to Krell’s 
fields to-morrow and get some,” declared Tom. 

Thus it was arranged, but the morrow found Lionel with a 
raging toothache. He was obliged to stay indoors, holding a bag of 
salt to his cheek. When Walter hinted that his freshness needed the 
salt badly, Lionel gave chase to give him a blow of the bag but the 
agile youngster eluded him. 

“Well, I’ll go and hunt a few things so we can work on the 
Blue Ridge to-morrow,” said Tom, and he set off alone. 

The day was a beautiful one in July. The sun’s rays were cooled 
by a gently blowing breeze for which the flowers and grass and trees 
gave thankful bows of recognizance. Overhead the sky was so 
dazzlingly blue and white that it made Tom’s eyes blind to glance at 
it. 

He knew just where to find the plants he sought, along a narrow 
run of water that crept singing down the hillside, enriching the soil 
all around until the brightest mosses and the plumiest ferns came to 
adorn its hospitable banks. 

Before reaching there, it was necessary to pass a great oak tree 
which grew on a grassy plateau between the road and the creek whose 



THE FAIRY CHASER 


99 


shallow bed it overhung. Tom could not resist the inclination to 
loiter beneath its spreading shade. He knew he had plenty of time 
for other affairs, so down he sat at the foot of the tree with his back 
against it, his hat thrown to one side and his legs stretched comfort¬ 
ably out. While sitting there he thought of his garden, his flowers 
that promised so well and of the finer ones he expected to raise in 
the future for the market. Perhaps some day — some day — he 
should have a beautiful rose that would take the prize at the floral 
exhibition and be known as the — no, he could not call it the Tom 
Rose, that might make people laugh — he would call it after Tootsy 
Wootsy, under her proper name, the Nora Desmond, which was 
pretty, but not any prettier than its namesake, thought that young 
lady’s brother. 

Presently he gathered himself up preparatory to arising, decid¬ 
ing to let dreams go and attend to no less beautiful realities, — the 
green things straight from the hands of the Almighty, growing 
uncared for by all except Him. Tom yawned lazily and reached for 
his hat, and then, if it had been a cold winter day you might have 
said the yawn froze in his mouth, leaving it wide open to match his 
eyes which remained fixed on a certain spot where his glance had 
fallen, for there he saw the most wonderful thing standing not an 
arm’s length away! 



CHAPTER II 


The Fairy Flower 

OW what do you think it was ? A flower, and such a flower! 
He had never before seen anything so exquisitely lovely! 
It stood up from a clump of the softest-tinted green leaves; 
it was shaped somewhat like a great lily-of-the-valley, the stem being 
perhaps six inches tall. The leaves were of changeable green, shaped 
like the lily-leaf, and the blossoms, just the size of a tea-cup, also 
varied in color. One moment it was pink, which deepened to a royal 
purple, then a pale cream shading to white, and again it glowed a 
brilliant crimson, while encircling all was a pear-shaped aureole, 
bright and transparent like the pale golden light often seen after a 
shower. 

Tom was so amazed that he remained motionless for a time. He 
sniffed in the delicate perfume that sweetly scented the air. His 
busy brain was perplexed with questions. 

What was it ? How came it there ? He had not seen it on his 
arrival, in fact his steps must have led him right over where it stood. 
At last he found breath. 



( 23 ) 





24 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


“ Jupiter! ” he cried. He rubbed bis eyes and looked again, 
expecting it to have disappeared for he was afraid he had been dream¬ 
ing; but no — there it still remained to delight his eyes. 

His heart beat more quickly. 

“ I’ll take it home and plant it or some animal may tramp it 
down here,” he thought as he watched it changing from a waxen, 
pearly tint to a delicate blue, deepening from that to violet and then 
to vivid red. 

He moved his hand toward the shining wonder. When he 
touched the golden light which enveloped it like a gauzy veil, he 
experienced a thrill of joy that almost instantly gave place to dismay, 
for when he grasped for the treasure he felt nothing in his hand — 
for lo, the flower had vanished at his touch! He looked up into the 
clear, sunny atmosphere, thinking perhaps it had taken wings and 
flown, but it was not there; he examined the spot where it had been; 
nothing but the short green grass, no vestige of a bulb of any kind 
was found! 

“ It must have been a fairy flower,” said Tom at last, ruefully. 
He generally expressed disbelief in fairies but he could account for 
this marvelous phenomenon in no other way. 

After watching vainly for its return, he picked up his hat and 
started for the little brook where the ferns and mosses grew, but on 
reaching there he gathered them mechanically as a task, not as the 



THE FAIRY CHASER 


25 


labor of love he would have found it earlier, his mind being now 
occupied with another matter. 

He carried an armful of the wild growing things home, how¬ 
ever, and finding that Lionel was rid of the toothache — along with 
the tooth which was lying quietly at the dentist’s — they proceeded 
to the work of making beautiful the rockery, planted different kinds 
of ferns at the base and covered the bleak sides with velvet moss. 
They also swung a little bridge across a deep opening which Walter 
called Chasm Dangerous. 

All the time working side by side with his dearest chum, Tom 
said not a word regarding the strange sight he had seen, although 
his thoughts were with it constantly. As the days went by Tom’s 
interest in his garden diminished. What were those peas and carna¬ 
tions and the faithful four-o’clocks compared with that brilliant 
flower under the oak tree? If he could secure that he would have 
something worth “ fussing ” over, he mused. As it was, Lionel 
tended, watered and weeded his garden while Tom sat brooding 
beside his. 

“ Where the treasure is, there is the heart also.” 

Tom longed so ardently to recline again beneath the oak tree, to 
again behold the fairy flower! But he wished to go alone, not being 
as yet ready to divulge the great secret. In this, a small matter, 
which yet proved a serious obstacle, confronted him — it seemed 



26 


the pairy chaser 


impossible to elude Lionel. They were in the habit of seeking out 
each other, of spending the whole day together happily. It had 
hitherto been a thing understood that where one went the other 
followed like a faithful shadow. Now Tom sighed for freedom; he 
chafed against the constant presence of his friend. On several 
occasions he tried to steal away, but Lionel’s sharp eyes were sure to 
detect him, Lionel’s piercing whistle would hail him and Lionel’s 
sturdy legs would soon be trotting along beside Tom’s suddenly 
loitering ones. 

In those days Tom heartily sympathized with Sindbad, the 
sailor, while poor Lionel stuck manfully to him, never dreaming that 
Tom was muttering maledictions and calling him a regular old man 
of the sea. 

But at last there came a time when Lionel hurried into the 
Desmond’s after breakfast one morning to announce that he was 
going away with his father to spend the day at an aunt’s in the 
neighboring town. He was glowing with happy anticipation; the 
only thing that detracted from his joy was the thought of Tom’s 
loss of company. He knew that Tom would miss him sadly. 

Tom faced the situation with seeming fortitude, while trying 
to conceal his gratification. 

He no sooner saw his “old man” out of sight than he made 
hasty preparations, did up the chores with an unusual animation, 



THE FAIRY CHASER 


27 


gave Tootsy Wootsy a hasty kiss and started away, fishing-rod in 
hand as an apparent excuse for his trip. He thanked fate that the 
opportune arrival of a gossip-loving neighbor kept his mother and 
Aunt Julia safely in the sitting room whose windows looked in an 
opposite direction. 

His feet flew along the weed-grown path, on, on to the welcome 
shade of the oak! Down he sat as before and gazed at the spot 
where the flower had sprung, but alas, nothing was seen, nothing but 
tiie familiar grasses and the tiny wild plants. 

The boy, disappointed, closed his eyes; he strove to evoke the 
mood of that other day, — a careless state of well being — but his 
eagerness, his impatience were foes to the consummation of his wish. 

He opened his eyes at intervals; nothing met his gaze but the 
glare of the sun beyond the trees’ far reaching branches, the deserted 
road, the hills with sparse vegetation, and in his vicinity the grass, 
nothing but the grass, his impatient moving bare toes and his own 
belongings — his hat and fishing rod close by. At times he imagined 
he detected the faint aroma which had emanated from the fairy 
flower; he stood up and searched around but all in vain. 

After a repetition of disappointments, feeling that it was use¬ 
less to remain longer and fearing that a more protracted absence from 
home would excite comment, he turned his back on the oak. 

Reaching home he did the chores, then taking the sprinkling- 



28 


THB FAIRY CHASER 


can, filled it at the cistern and watered his flowers listlessly, half 
disgustedly comparing them with the image in his mind. He felt 
sure that no matter how hard he would work over them, no matter 
with what care they were tended, none of them would ever equal 
that fairy flower! 

“What’s wrong, Tom?” inquired Lionel one day when he 
found his chum sitting gazing into space, unmindful of the weeds 
growing up among his treasures. 

“ What’s the matter ? Why, nothin’! ” was the sharp reply. 

He immediately set to work with a great show of alacrity. 
Lionel shook his tow head. Presently he peeped in through the 
fence. There sat Tom idle again. This happened so often as time 
went by that the decay of Tom’s garden and the continued flourishing 
of Lionel’s kept pace. 

On another occasion, shortly after his disappointing trip, Tom 
wended his way again to the oak tree. He had found no difficulty in 
getting away from Lionel, the latter having at last perceived his 
friend’s dislike of his company. 

“Guess I c’n get along without him as well as he c’n without 
me,” thought the forsaken one, half sadly, half defiantly, digging 
around his roots, while Tom hurried blithely away, hoping that this 
time he would be fortunate enough to obtain a glimpse of the pro¬ 
voking flower. 



THE FAIRY CHASER 


29 


It was early in the morning when the dew lay like shimmering 
frost on the grass and flowers. While Tom half reclined beneath the 
oak, admiring the long blades gemmed with crystal drops that 
slowly melted in the gentle rays of the dawn, the Fairy Flower sud¬ 
denly appeared before him! Whether it had sprouted up from the 
earth, or had flown down from the sky, he could not tell, but 
there it was, its green leaves glistening as if the dew had touched 
them also! 

This time the flower was of softest rose color that gradually 
deepened to a cherry-red which faded to buff and then to a grayish- 
green until finally it stood a silver calyx with slender orange stamens 
tipped with crimson all enveloped in that mysterious veil of trans¬ 
parent gold. With its changing colors the scent varied; the darker 
hues giving out a rich, intoxicating odor and the pale tints a more 
delicate perfume. The boy held his breath while gazing upon the 
strange flower. It was even more beautiful than he had thought it 
at first — lovelier than his memory had painted it ! Its perfection 
grew on one. 

If only — he could —! 

He gave a sudden movement and grasped — the air! The 
flower was gone! 

Tom returned home with a heavy heart. It irritated him to 
see Lionel working so contentedly over those common vegetables. 



30 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


All at once his friend’s good points, his unvarying humor — except 
under toothache attacks — became causes for offense. 

Lionel, for his part was puzzled what to think of the moody, 
discontented spirit which had taken hold of Tom. 

One day, despite former rebuffs, he inquired sympathetically, 
“ Tom, what’s wrong? ” 

This time Tom was not so grumpy. 

“ Do you remember hearing me say long ago, Li, that balancing 
ledgers would unbalance my brain? Well, this flower business has 
unbalanced me, that’s all.” 

Whereupon he opened his heart and while Lionel stood in open- 
mouthed wonder, Tom commenced the confidence that had often 
before sought utterance and with ready eloquence related his strange 
experience with the fairy flower. 

“If that is all, me boy, you were only dreamin’,” exclaimed 
Lionel, much relieved at the simple explanation of Tom’s “ queer 
antics.” 

“All! Why, if you were to see it — but no — you would only 
see a fine turnip or something to eat, I bet,” cried Tom bitterly. 

This did not hurt Lionel’s feelings in the least, but Aunt Julia, 
picking currants not far away, heard her nephew’s concluding sen¬ 
tence. She arose and came forward, saying, “ Don’t speak so dis¬ 
respectfully of the turnip, Tom. The poet Longfellow made a poem 




“If that is all, me boy, your were only dreamin’.” 











the fairy chaser 


33 


regarding it once upon a time. Have you never heard it? It 
begins:— 

£ Mr. Finney had a turnip, 

And it grew behind the barn, 

It grew there and it grew there, 

And the turnip did no harm.’ ” 

“ Rot! ” returned the boy, while his aunt, laughing, returned to 
her bushes. 

“ Well, Tom, let’s go together and if I see it too, it must be 
a real thing and I’ll grab it so fast it can't get off,” proposed Lionel, 
good humoredly. Tom agreed to this proposition. 

They started on the trip the next afternoon. 

It was one of those perfect days when the sweetness of creation 
penetrates one’s very soul and the heart speaks to nature’s in a new 
language; the freshened breeze, the nodding flowers, the running 
water, the birds in leafy tree-tops, the shining of the sun, the mani¬ 
fold beauties of Mother Earth charm in a newer sense, as though 
having been blind, one’s eyes were newly opened. 

In this way it appealed, though unconsciously, to the boys as 
they went along the road,, walking or jumping or chasing butterflies, 
and when they reached the oak tree Tom fully expected to be made 
happy by a sight of the wonderful flower. It would surely bloom 
forth on a day like this; and Lionel, too, was inclined to think that 

there might be “ something in it.” 

3 



34 


THE FAIRY CHASER. 


Half reclining on the greensward neath the tree, they fixed their 
eyes upon the spot indicated by Tom and waited patiently. Had a 
curious pedestrian chanced that way he would probably have thought 
them two idiots escaped from the asylum, so long they sat gazing, 
gazing in one direction. But no unusual manifestation rewarded 
their watch. 

Lionel’s doubt again asserted itself. 

“ Well, Tommy, show us the wonder, I don’t see no signs of it 
yet! ” he cried impatiently. 

Tom half repented him of his boisterous companionship. Lionel 
stood up and made mystic circles over the spot. Using a pliant 
switch as a divining rod, he chanted — 

“ Enie, meenie, minie, mo, 

Whereabouts is it you grow, 

Flower of sheol or of heaven 
Appear in the sign of the mystic seven! ” 

“ Shut up, you clown,” growled Tom. “ If it had come you 
wouldn’t have seen it, and I might have known it wouldn’t show to 
you!” 

“ Bosh! ” returned Lionel. “ Let’s give up this fairy chasin’ 
and go home. It was a dream — only a dream. I’ve glued my eyes 
there sharp enough to bore a hole in the ground and I don’t see 
nothin’ but that same identical little acorn a lyin’ there on the grass!” 

“ Yes, but I saw it!” answered Tom, decisively. 



CHAPTER III 


A Prize Tomato 

ARLY in the season Lionel had shown Tom an advertise¬ 
ment of a tomato plant in a paper. It certainly looked 
beautiful in the picture. The advertiser posed as a great- 
individual who was willing to mail two specimen plants to 
anyone sending him twenty cents in stamps. For the expenditure of 
that insignificant sum on their part he would go to a great amount of 
trouble on his. Reading his statement one felt that he was a philan¬ 
thropist genuinely sorry for those who did not possess one of his 
plants. 

Lionel looked — and longed. In imagination he saw the real 
vine with its scarlet and green globes hiding among the leaves, an 
ornament to any garden. 

If only he could procure one for his! The neighbors would hear 
about it and come and admire and perhaps he would later be able to 
sell them specimen vines at a profit. 

“ Then I want to branch out. I don’t believe in stayin’ at a 
dead level in the business. One must experiment,” he declared. 

( 35 ) 



hearted 




36 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


Tom, being even of a more aspiring mind, agreed with him, but 
the things he coveted, “ Japanese wonders ” and similar plants whose 
beauty was extolled in other advertisements, were so high-priced — 
a whole dollar or sometimes more — that they were obvious impos¬ 
sibilities, and later, after he had seen the Fairy Flower, the pictures, 
be they ever so alluring, had no attraction for him. But the twenty 
cents stared Lionel in the face — a cold, metallic fact. 

Ten two-cent stamps, and none of the family had ever bought 
more than three at a time since he could remember! On that occasion 
Walter being sent to procure them considered the postmaster a cheaf 
because he refused to give him three for five cents in the way they 
sold candy balls at the grocers’. 

The acquisition of those stamps became a mania with Lionel. 
His mother gave him one, although she said she had no faith in such 
advertisements, she had heard of so many that were deceptions, she 
knew of a girl “ in her time ” who had sent for a correct picture of 
herself and had received by return mail a tiny pocket mirror. 

Lionel paid little attention to her warning but put the stamp 
carefully away with one Tom had given him. He sold his second- 
best knife which had one good blade to a boy for five cents, that made 
four stamps and a penny besides. 

After that his collection remained stationary for some time and 
then he had a stroke of luck. 



the .fairy chaser 


37 


It happened just after he had accompanied Tom to the oak tree 
in search of that mythical flower. 

One day a lady from the city who was boarding at a neighbor’s 
called on the Jacksons and the mistress of the house took her up 
through the arbor, now hanging with great bunches of green fruit 
and along the bush bordered path to the rockery. 

She was much interested in the boys’ undertaking; her genuine 
admiration of the Blue Ridge won their youthful hearts. Her city 
manners and stylish appearance had the effect of somewhat abashing 
them but when she expressed a wish to have some ferns like theirs 
to take home with her, Lionel overcame his shyness and gallantly 
offered to go in search of them. 

Tom, of course, went along. They procured several varieties 
of ferns besides moss and different kinds of roots which they 
thought would please the lady. And they did. She expressed her¬ 
self as much gratified and insisted on Lionel’s taking a dime. He 
demurred at first, but rather feebly for the amount represented five 
stamps, so he took it at last, his outward reluctance hardly con¬ 
cealing his inward glee. 

Tom refused to share, declaring that he had only gone on 
Lionel’s invitation and to have part in the fun; therefore the penny 
and another were added to the dime, the necessary stamps to complete 
the ten bought and mailed to the address given in the advertisement 



38 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


which Lionel had cut and pasted carefully in his greasy little note 
book. 

In due time Lionel’s visits to the post office were rewarded; the 
package arrived and was carried home with reverent hands. 

The vines did not look very promising to be sure. They were 
limp and brown but were planted carefully and given a good chance 
to thrive. The young gardener certainly looked for great results. 
But they did not flourish in the soil. For a week Lionel was not sure 
if they would even take root. One withered away but the other 
slowly revived under the boy’s careful ministrations. It was a 
tedious process however. As time elapsed and it still gave no sign of 
any extraordinary growth, Lionel commenced to think that it would 
never in any way resemble the picture shown in the paper and when, 
in August, a tiny green tomato came to adorn the scanty vine, he 
looked upon his twenty cents as good money thrown away. 

Mr. Jackson laughed and said that the experience was worth 
more than the money, but Lionel thought that he could easily have 
gotten along without the experience. His mother observed that 
“ fools would learn in no other school,” she had warned him — and 
then she repeated the oft told tale of her friend of long ago. 

Walter dubbed it the “ Great Expectations ” tomato and Tom in 
his present mood was not sympathetic. He was disgusted that Lionel 
should grieve over a common vegetable that in any event would never 



THE EAIRY CHASER 


30 


be anything but a tomato, for the boy's thoughts went ever to the 
fairy flower, whose real existence he never doubted. 

A third glimpse of it was vouchsafed him about this time. 

He sat beneath the oak one day feeling decidedly blue. He had 
almost given up hope of ever seeing the wonderful thing again, 
when all at once turning his head he noticed a strange golden light so 
faint that he was afraid a mere breath would dissipate it. Brighter and 
brighter it grew until at last there stood the flower-marvel complete. 

The same yet ever changing, ever displaying some exquisite tint 
that appeared even more beautiful than the preceding one, and the 
tantalizing quality it possessed of vanishing, leaving no trace, nothing 
but the tormenting memory of its loveliness, added to its charm. 

Tom, gazing upon it half fascinated, felt the presence of this 
intangible attribute; to know that it might vanish at any moment 
never to reappear was maddening. The thought came to him that 
its chief mystery lay in the shimmering orange light which enveloped 
it. If only that strange aureole would fade, he imagined he could 
pluck the flower, but there it remained as if to guard the treasure and 
give warning of encroaching hands. 

Exasperated, Tom picked up his battered hat and threw it over 
the flower. Eor some time he hesitated before raising the hat. 

To find the flower beneath would be ecstacy; to discover it gone, 
despair. 



40 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


Tom held on gingerly to the rim of the hat as though he feared 
to see it, torn straw crown, blue ribbon band and all, carried away on 
the wings of the fairy creature beneath. At last he could no longer 
wait. He lifted the hat gently to find, alas, that the flower was gone! 
It had vanished as before, leaving no vestige of its presence, and Tom 
went home with empty hands. 

He speculated as to how often it came out in the day or if it 
had any particular time for revealing itself. It had appeared to him 
on two occasions in the morning and on this afternoon. So it came 
to pass that all his spare time and all the time he could by any excuse 
take from his regular duties was spent in a disappointed watch 
beneath the oak tree. 

He had sworn Lionel to secrecy “ ’pon honor,” regarding the 
fairy flower and none other but he knew the reason for his long 
absences from home. 

“ I’m afraid Tom has no stability,” complained his mother. 
“ There’s his garden over which he was so earnest left to the weeds, 
while a sight of Lionel’s would do you good. I’m sure he didn’t get 
it from my side of the house.” 

“I’m sure he didn’t take his vacillation from mine!” retorted 
Mr. Desmond. 

“ I’d be sorry to see Tom an exact copy of either you or Hiram,” 
said Aunt Julia sharply, “ although you’re both well enough in your 



THE FAIRY CHASER 


41 


way. I want him to have his own good and bad traits, not the 
virtues and failings of his ancestors. They were good enough in 
their way, too — plain sons and daughters of Adam and Eve — 
though on our side I’ve known few of the daughters who were con¬ 
sidered personable The speaker who was still a handsome woman, 
tossed her head .at the memory of sundry youthful conquests and 
continued,— “ Let Tom have some individuality of his own.” 

“ But shiftlessness! ” 

“ I don't think it's that. The boy has only come to a knot and is 
tryin’ to unravel it, that's all, and it’s evident he don’t want any 
of our help either.” 

“ No, he’s only happy when he turns his back on home an’ is 
off to the woods, an’ when he comes back he goes about his work as 
if he hated it.” 

“ Well, we all hate our work at times, and we’re four or five 
times as old as Tom. For my part I think the South Sea Islanders 
have the best of it, nothin’ to do — not even to dress themselves — 
an’ loll in the sun all day, while for us it’s washin’ an’ bakin’ an’ 
what-notin’ from New Year’s day to the last of December.” 

While the lady entered her plaint anent the work which Hying in 
a civilized community entails, Tom stood surveying his garden with 
rueful countenance. 

And no wonder. The weeks of neglect had caused more damage 



42 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


than a heavy storm. The flowers strove to lift their bright heads 
through weeds that had been left to flourish at will and choke them. 
Some of the most promising had already succumbed to the invading 
host while the sturdier looked discouraged with the unequal struggle 
and ready to surrender their home to the foreign rabble. 

The fresh, well-attended vegetables on the other side of the fence 
peeped in with wonder to see their beautiful sisters thus down¬ 
trodden and, no doubt, were thankful that their master was not like 
Tom. 

Lionel regarded the ruin of his friend’s work in sorrow, but the 
understanding had been that each was to mind his own plot of 
ground, not interfering with the other’s, a pledge that Lionel often 
regretted. Only for that he would have tried to save some of the 
flowers, but a promise is a promise; he could but hope that the havoc 
wrought in Tom’s garden would soon open his eyes to the evil 
consequences of his negligence. 

“ Say, me boy, your geraniums look like bony skeletons,” com¬ 
menced he that day. 

“ Whoever heard of fat ones! And they’re no worse than your 
prize tomato,” Tom rejoined. 

Lionel winced at the allusion to his one failure. It was un¬ 
deserved, as Tom well knew, but when one is angry a little matter of 
justice is seldom allowed to stand in the way. It was not Lionel’s 



THE FAIRY CHASER 


43 


fault that the “ Great Expectations ” had turned out so badly, but he 
was not going to let Tom's “ grumpiness ” turn him aside, so he 
laughed and continued: 

“ Well, that’s so, but you can fix yours by a little weedin’ and 
tendin’, while that pesky tomato grows smaller an’ smaller the more 
you fuss over it. I read in the paper that you can make geraniums 
bushy by pickin’ out the top growin’ point, that’ll make ’em put out 
side shoots.” 

“ I don’t seem to care what becomes of 'em now,” said Tom, 
disconsolately, recognizing his chum’s good intentions. His moody 
glance turned from the wilderness of weeds at his feet westward in 
the direction of the road to the creek. 

“ Say, Tom, I’ve been thinkin’ about that flower, the fairy, you 
know. Maybe it was only a kind of century plant that blooms once 
in a hundred years,” Lionel observed earnestly. 

“ Then I’d be three centuries old, for I’ve seen it three times an’ 
oh, Li, it’s just fine! I wish it h’d come out the day you were along.” 

As Tom spoke, all his old-time animation shone in his eyes but 
the look of incredulity on Lionel’s freckled face irritated him, and he 
picked up his rod and slouched away. 



CHAPTER IV 


Everything Awry 

E HAD not gone far until he heard a shout, “ Hoi, Tom! ” 
and Eionel making a trumpet of his hand hurried after 
him. 

Tom paused. 

“ Say, Tommy, it just struck me that it’s the nightmare you had, 
that sometimes plays the dickens with a fellow; better take a dose of 
physic.” Eionel had run so fast and spoke so quickly that he was out 
of breath; his face glowed with heat and good nature. 

“ Or some green tomato catsup perhaps,” retorted Tom angrily. 

He stalked away with an air of hauteur and the farther he got 
the more brisk were his steps. 

Walter coming up the path espied him. 

“ There goes Tom again with his everlastin’ fishin’ rig an’ he 
never brings home a single catch; the sight of his funeral phiz must 
scare ’em all away. Ma says he’s become a regular nimpole.” 

Lionel sniffed disdainfully. 

“ Nim-rod you mean.” 

( 44 ) 





THE FAIRY CHASER 


45 


“ Rod or pole, what’s the dif ? I know it's something you fish 
with. There he goes, moonin’ off. Say, Li, what’s he been doin’ 
anyhow?” Walter inquired confidentially. 

“ Why, he’s just studyin’ nature” replied his brother in on off¬ 
hand manner. 

“ What’s that ? He never has any books along.” 

Had Lionel known Shakespeare, he might have answered this 
somewhat puzzling question in the immortal words:— 

“ Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, 

Sermons in stones and good in everything.” 

Not being acquainted with the bard he answered— 

“ Why, studyin’ nature is to watch the plants an’ things growin’ 
till you know 'em all, root and branch, so Tom goes to the fields to 
watch the uncultivated —” 

Walter interrupted him at this point with a snort of derision. 

Uncultivated! Then he’d better stay and study that weed- 
patch of his’n.” He pointed to Tom’s tangled flower beds. 

Lionel regarded them thoughtfully. The pledge against aiding 
Tom surely did not include Walter. 

“ Tell you what, Walt, you might weed out that border of Tom’s 
if you’ve nothin’ else to do,” he suggested. 

Walter, being in an amiable mood and feeling sorry for the 



40 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


crowded plants, set to work diligently. For a while all was quiet. 
Presently Lionel, digging around that miserable tomato vine of his, 
heard a chuckle. Looking up he saw, slightly above the fence, a 
broad-brimmed straw hat and a part of a face — a pair of dancing 
eyes half closed with amusement — while a would-be solemn voice 
cried — 

“ Say, Li, have you any more stamps to give away? I saw a 
picture of the dandiest cabbage-head you ever—” 

Here a clod of earth thrown by the irate Lionel interrupted the 
speaker who gave a whoop of delight and artfully escaped from his 
brother’s wrath, leaving Tom’s garden little the better for his short¬ 
lived exertion. 

His good offices were not repeated, the boy having pursuits and 
companions of his own to occupy his attention, so Tom cannot be 
blamed for failing to see any improvement in his wilderness of a 
garden that had become a subject of mirth to his acquaintances. 

He felt the general disapproval, his father’s eloquent silence, 
his mother’s grumbling over his heedlessness, his duties disregarded 
or done unwillingly. Tootsy-Wootsy had not changed, being always 
ready to clutch his hair with glad baby cooing and to go to him in 
preference to all others. 

Aunt Julia did not fail him. Perhaps something in her nephew’s 
discontent touched a harmonious chord in her own nature. She said 



the fairy chaser 


47 


little but manifested her sympathy in tempting pies and cakes set 
aside especially for him. 

Lionel, too, was faithful. Despite appearances he still believed 
in his friend and expected a return of their former close camaraderie 
until upon a certain day. 

Tom in secret sighed. He lamented the fate of his flowers and 
often resolved to give up his trips to the oak tree, but so far he had 
not carried out his good intentions. 

On this occasion he came to where Lionel was busy thinning out 
a too luxuriant growth of vines. He stood with his hands in his 
pockets in idle contemplation for a while. His friend’s vigorous 
plants showed the result of the gardener’s care and contrasted 
strikingly with the pitiable condition of his own one-time treasures 
which had slowly succumbed to the quick growth of weeds. 

Tom had just come from an encounter with his mother who had 
given him a lecture on his dilatory ways. He could not blame her 
for her fault-finding attitude. He had disappointed her first cher¬ 
ished plans for him and this was the result of his own vaunted am¬ 
bition. He smothered a sigh. 

“Heigh-ho — I feel like this fence — kind o’ zigzag,” he said. 

His friend gave a grunt of sympathy. 

“ Li, you ought to transplant your tomato to my side of the 
fence,” Tom remarked presently. 



48 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


Lionel glanced at the sickly vine and smiled, while Tom 
continued, “ I’ve half a notion to give it all up and go in for clerkin’ 
as ma wanted me to.” 

“Hold down a stool!” Lionel jumped up thunderstruck. 

“ Yes.” 

Tom, feeling that he had delivered a telling blow, started away 
in a seemingly unconcerned manner, whistling softly to better carry 
out his part, while the bright eyes of Lionel followed him in startled 
surprise. 

For the first time a doubt of Tom’s mental powers occurred to 
his chum. Were all those rebellious speeches and declarations of 
independence to end thus ignominiously in an exchange of the free 
light and air of out-door life for the narrow prison walls of an office ? 
Lionel arose and stretched his arms to their uttermost reach; in 
imagination he felt the brick walls of an office closing in around 
him. He shuddered and gazed across the far-stretching hills and the 
open fields where the corn stalks waved their green scarfs amid 
which Tom’s boyish form at last disappeared. 

Then Lionel slowly shook his head and ejaculated half dis¬ 
gustedly, half sorrowfully, 

“ Daffy! ” 

5 ^ ^ 

Tom, experiencing a wicked solace in his friend’s discomfiture, 



THE FAIRY CHASER 


49 


continued his journey which had its usual ending — the giant oak. 

He clasped his arms around its rugged trunk and pressed his 
cheek against the brown rough bark. 

The warmth of the day was penetrating. Myriads of insects 
skimming in the sunshine and the birds flitting from bush and tree 
kept up a constant buzz and twitter to the pleasing low accompani¬ 
ment of the stream. 

He forgot the annoyances of everyday life, but the ever re¬ 
curring disappointment in regard to the fairy flower, whose third 
appearance was the last that had been vouchsafed him, still puzzled 
his brain in wondering what it was, whence it came, where it went, 
why it had appeared to him, if he should ever see it again. He was 
weary of the endless questioning to which had come no reply. If he 
could only accept Lionel's simple reasoning — he smiled at the utter 
impossibility of so doing. 

“ I wonder if it ever blooms at night,” he pondered. 

In imagination he saw it shining through the gloom of the 
summer night, — its luminous amber aureole making it visible to the 
watchful owls and the wondering nightingales. He resolved to steal 
away some evening ere long and see what would come to pass. 

Presently a slight noise as of the dislodging of a stone inter¬ 
rupted his reverie. He turned his head involuntarily in the direction 

from whence it came. 

4 




CHAPTER V 


How It All Turned Out 

“ I’ll take the showers as they fall, 

I will not vex my bosom; 

Enough if at the end of all 
A little garden blossom.” 

—T ennyson. 

OMING along the banks of the “creek” which went sing¬ 
ing to the amber waters of the old Monongahela, was a 
man in an outing suit of gray cloth with cap to match, who 
carried a sort of alpine-stock of a cane. 

Tom knew every country boy and all the men from neighboring 
farms who might chance that way and had also a speaking acquaint¬ 
ance with some fishermen from the busy world outside who spent a 
portion of their summers camping along the river, but this man he 
had never before seen, although in dress and bearing he reminded 
Tom of the city men ; he carried himself with a certain careless air 
that was at once rare and distinctive. Tom felt this without being 
able to define it as from his shaded nook he craned his neck to follow 
the movements of the traveler, who he thought would continue his 
( 50 ) 





THE FAIRY CHASER 


51 


journey along the shore, passing beneath the overhanging boughs of 
the oak skirting the base of the plateau and thus avoid seeing him. 
But in this he was mistaken. 

He jumped to his feet as the stranger, reaching the narrow foot¬ 
path which led to the tree, turned and came along it straight to where 
the boy stood bare-legged, somewhat ragged, but in his own way 
undeniably interesting, with brown eyes shining in his thin, eager 
face. 

With instinctive politeness, Tom reached his hand to his head. 
Now, to find his hat, he should have reached to his feet where it was 
lying in all its tattered glory, a fact which came to him, when, instead 
of the hat he found himself tugging at a thick tuft of hair which 
obstinately refused to be lifted, then as he drew back in a half em¬ 
barrassed gesture, the stranger, changing his staff to his left hand, 
reached the other forward and shook hands heartily with the lad. 

“ Hello, my young friend,” he said. 

“Hello, there,” returned Tom. 

“ And what is your name, may I ask ? ” 

“Thomas Desmond, but most folks call me just Tom.” 

“ I hope you deserve the name, that you may continue to be just 
Tom — ‘ This above all to thine own self be true; thou canst not then 
be false to any man.’ ” 

There was something in the tone more than in the words of the 



52 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


speaker which made Tom wince; something that recalled his father’s 
contempt, his mother’s anger, Aunt Julia’s sympathy, and Lionel’s 
disappointment. 

The man apparently unconscious of his confusion continued in a 
genial tone. 

“ Well, my son, how goes the world; how does it treat you, or, 
rather, how do you treat it?” 

“Very well, thank you, sir. Won’t you sit down and rest?” 
said Tom, pointing hospitably to a branch of the oak which stood 
out invitingly a short distance from the ground. 

“ Just made to fit me,” sighed the stranger contentedly, as throw¬ 
ing his cap to one side, he took possession of the rustic seat. 

“ I am rather done out. I left my friends some distance down 
the road to repair the car—our automobile, you know — and came 
on afoot for a change—guess I'll just take it easy for awhile till 
they happen along.” 

He took out a brown pipe and a small box of matches and pro¬ 
ceeded to enjoy a smoke while Tom threw himself on the grass 
near by, much interested in his every movement. 

“ You haven’t yet learned the intoxication of the pipe,” the 
smoker observed half quizzically, and Tom rather ashamed, was 
obliged to acknowledge that he had not. 

“ But me and Li tried a toby one day.” 



THE PAIRY CHASER 


53 


“ With what result ? ” 

“ We both got awful sick; they say you always do at first.” 

The stranger laughed. 

As he continued to puff contentedly at his pipe, his eyes strayed 
around slowly surveying the scene. 

In front, the road fringed with gypsum and tall mustard plants, 
the hills with trees and scanty bush; at their back the shallow stream 
was crossed some distance below by a graceful bridge constructed 
entirely of iron; to the right a wealth of fields and woods and on the 
left the church spires and cupolas of buildings in the town pointing 
heavenward. 

For awhile the traveler sat in quiet enjoyment. The serene 
beauty of the scene affected him even as it had Tom a short time 
before. 

Presently he turned his gaze to Tom, saying: 

“ Enchanted spot! Happy he who has the leisure to enjoy 
it.” 

“ Oh, yes, sir, it's fine! And even on the warmest days there’s 
a snipping breeze comes up from the river,” cried the lad 
enthusiastically. 

“ And you, my young friend, seem as much a part of it as the 
birds and the trees.” 

“ Maybe that’s because I’ve been here so often lately.” 



54 


THE EAIRY CHASER 


“ Ah, yes, the shade of this friendly oak is alluring, but you will 
find, my boy, as you go along through life, that pleasures like wine, 
are best taken in moderation.” And then without seeming to notice 
the sudden dark wave that came in Tom’s tanned cheeks, he took his 
pipe from his mouth and fixed the tobacco carefully in the bowl as 
he continued, “ I trust, Tom, that you have not allowed the attrac¬ 
tions of the oak to rob more useful pursuits of their dues? Yet 
methought your countenance as I saw it from the bend did not speak 
of inward joy despite the conjunction of youth, liberty and the 
summer day.” 

His tone of mingled raillery and chiding made Tom smile, 
though he feared he was being “jollied.” 

“ Could you read my ‘ mug ’ that far away? Well, I was feeling 
kind o’ grumpy,” he admitted. 

“ Grumpy? We all know the feeling. What was your particu¬ 
lar case of the grumps about?” 

“ Oh, I was just sitting here, just thinking.” 

“ ‘ The thoughts of youth ’,” murmured the stranger, and then 
he turned his gaze enquiringly upon Tom. 

It had seemed to Tom that the man was quite old, over forty he 
would have guessed, that being an age next to that of the white 
bearded patriarchs in his opinion; there was a deep line in his fore¬ 
head and fine ones at the corners of his eyes, and his hair and 



THE FAIRY CHASER 


55 


mustache were threaded with silver, but all at once he appeared in a 
different light — he might have been any age from eighteen to 
eighty, youthful and wise at the same time. And what wonderful 
eyes he had. Of a color that one would call blue, another gray and a 
third green, but Tom decided that they were all those shades com¬ 
mingled, as their habitual expression of joviality gave way to that 
of a kindly gravity, — a look indefinable — and Tom found himself 
sitting there with hands clasped tightly around his bare knees telling 
all his troubles and experiences to this total stranger more freely than 
he had ever related them to Lionel. The man listened with flattering 
attention. 

“ Tom, my boy, you and your garden remind me of an artist 
chap I used to know,” he commented after a short period of thought, 
“to hear people raving about his pictures put him in the depths. 

4 Why, that’s only a daub,’ he would say disgustedly.” 

“ That’s the way I feel now when I look at my poor common 
flowers,” exclaimed Tom. 

“ Common flowers you say, my lad. It’s well my friend Burton 
didn’t hear that — he’s a crank on botany — you ought to hear his 
disquisitions on any poor little despised weed he may chance to pick 
up. But even for you and me who have not studied the subject — 
let us examine a petal of a flower — a single leaf of this tree. In its 
construction is there anything common? No, each is a mystery in 



THE FAIRY CHASER 


5G 


itself." Then as the leaf fluttered from his hand he continued, “I 
think if you were an artist, Tom, you too would see those wonderful 
pictures.” 

“ But there’s Lionel — he was disappointed about his tomato- 
plants, but he doesn't mind much.” 

“ Your chum thinks of the picture he saw; he would never have 
evolved such a fine vegetable from the back of his head! Let me give 
you another instance. There’s Gilmore, the author of ‘ Pins and 
Needles,’ the latest popular novel — trash he calls it and swears he 
will never write another book, just as he has sworn after the publi¬ 
cation of each of his previous half dozen. He also sees the fairy, but 
in a different form.” 

“And yet he keeps on writing,” exclaimed Tom. 

“ Yes, just as Clem Arnold will keep on painting ‘ daubs ’ as he 
calls them. They just have to do it. The people are satisfied because 
they have had no tantalizing glimpses of something better. And it 
is well. What would we have to admire, to inspire, to emulate, if 
the painter, the composer, and all the rest — the merely talented — 
even genius itself — were to sit down to mope and repine because 
they could not snare the wonderful flower?” 

He picked up Tom’s battered headgear as he spoke and gravely 
examined it. 

“ Only an imaginative person like you, Tom, would try to catch 



the fairy chaser 


57 


anything in a trap like this,” said he as his hand went through a hole 
in the straw. 

“ I’m afraid I’ve made a mess of things,” declared Tom ruefully. 

“ I read of a four-year-old boy who refused the candle his kind 
mother brought and sobbed himself to sleep in the dark because she 
could not get the moon to light him to bed. Now that boy should 
have been an Edison and made himself an electric light when he grew 
older as a sort of compromise.” 

“The next best thing to moonlight he could get?” 

“That’s it. Don’t be discouraged, Tom. We all cry for the 
moon sometimes. But we have to keep right on in this work-a-day 
world. Even though inspiration shows a few of us the fairy flower, 
it is hard work alone that can give it expression. Hello, here comes 
my car,” he cried, as a red automobile came steaming noisily upon 
the quiet scene. The occupants hailed him gaily. “ Hurry up, 
Billy, if we are to make Pittsburg tonight! ” 

The stranger turned to bid the lad good-bye. 

“ But say, Tom, jump in with us and we will land you at home 
in a twinkling,” said he, and before Tom knew it, he was perched 
there on that wonderful red motor car and being rushed through 
space as it seemed, forgetful of his fishing rod, that slender excuse 
for his many excursions from home. When he managed to get 
control of his breathing apparatus he looked along the road, which 




58 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


appeared to him in a new aspect; it seemed as if the trees and their 
bird tenants looked on with surprise at this wonderful thing that was 
happening. It was, I think, the very first time that an automobile 
had come along the old road, the traveling public generally taking the 
National Pike, as it was called, which branched off a few miles 
below. 

Tom and Lionel and most of the boys who were fond of ex¬ 
ploring the country round about had seen those vehicles whirling 
along, but there were many residents of the village, those who stayed 
close to their own door-step, who had never beheld one of the “ new 
fangled things,” as they called them. 

Therefore Tom’s entrance upon the sleepy old town was 
theatrical, coming as he did, enthroned high on that wonderful red 
chariot. 

The Desmond and Jackson houses occupied a corner of the 
street down which they raced, the machine with its load of gay 
excursionists, past the gardens — the whole length of them in fact — 
along the side street, from where Lionel’s astonished eyes caught a 
glimpse of speeding color that made him think of a gorgeous animal 
in flight, and Walter let the pump handle go as if it had stung him, 
to race around to the front in order to see the “ circus.” Never again 
would Walter think that Tom was no “punkins” or a very poor 
excuse of a Nimrod — no, never after that — for Tom from his 



'THE FAIRY CHASER 


59 


exalted position actually threw him, Walter, an excited “hello,” that 
he tried to make in his everyday tone. The whole town came out, 
not to speak of the excited occupants of the house before which the 
automobile actually stopped. 

There was Aunt Julia carrying the baby, whose dimpled arms 
were wide outstretched to clasp Tom, with no surprise in her laugh¬ 
ing glance; any honor paid Tom would never surprise the knowing 
Tootsy Wootsy; she took it all as a matter of course; Tom anywhere 
was Tom. And Tom’s mother in spite of her late denunciation of 
his faults, hastening from the hot kitchen to the window, felt some¬ 
way after all that Tom was “an uncommon smart” boy; how per¬ 
fectly at home he appeared with that distinguished-looking man in 
gray suit who lifted his cap so politely to the ladies. 

Tom jumped from the car. He reached up to shake hands with 
his new friend: 

“Good bye, Mr. — ” 

“Just Bill,” said that gentleman as he gave Tom’s brown hand 
a hearty clasp. “ And remember, Tom, no dreams! ” he called back 
as the impatient chauffeur, with a sort of magician’s touch, set the red 
automobile in motion. 

* * * * * * * 

Tom bore his honors more meekly than did his friends for him. 
It was a long time before Walter Jackson could behold the hero of 




60 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


the motor car actually splitting wood without feeling surprise at the 
condescension — not because Tom had been notoriously averse to that 
occupation for the last few weeks, but it someway seemed so far 
removed from his elevated station on that memorable day; but Tom 
stuck bravely to his tasks day after day trying nobly to retrieve 
himself. 

His father, who had been more disappointed than any one knew 
over Tom’s “ laying down,” as he called it, went about as if with 
renewed youth; his mother, as mothers will, forgot all about his late 
shortcomings, and Aunt Julia a hundred times tried to keep from 
saying — but did not — “I told you so.” 

>|c ij< ^ i|c ijc j|s 

“Ain’t it about time to go down to the house, Tom? 
There comes the moon rubbering along to see what keeps us so 
late.” 

“ Why, there’s a man in the moon. Don’t accuse him of being 
curious,” said Tom as he gave a last touch to some vines before 
standing up. 

“ But the moon is femi-nine. Don’t you recollect the grammar 
says — ” 

“ Bother grammars! I was thinking of something important 
just now. Say, Li, do you know it’s just a year ago to-day since I 
met Bill?” 




Tom threw Walter an excited “hello.” 







































I 

*•** • 




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THE FAIRY CHASER 


63 


“A year! Why, it don't seem more’n half’s long. He just 
ought to see the gardens — ” 

“ He’ll hear of ’em before long. Why, the fame of your 4 garden 
sass ’ has reached the city. Didn’t your Great Expectations tomato 
take the prize at the county fair, not to mention my flowers, the prize¬ 
winning Nora Desmond carnation, especially — I could fill a hundred 
orders if I had enough flowers this summer.” 

44 One thing, we don’t need to hire any toots,” said Lionel 
gravely; 44 still we can’t take all the credit; Bill’s books gave us a lot 
of hints. — It’s funny the way he always remembers you.” 

44 Funny! Nothin’ of the kind — he wouldn’t forget! ” 

There was a proud ring of confidence in Tom’s voice and his 
face glowed in a way that reminded Lionel of a time gone by. 

44 Tom, it seems to me,” said he reflectively, 44 that your Mr. Bill 
was the only original fairy chaser — he chased the plagued thing 
away.” 

For a moment Tom did not reply. He stood with his hand in 
his pockets. His gaze turned from his friend to the flowers at his 
feet which in the magic light of the moon took renewed beauty. 
Those common things as he had once regarded them, stood out in 
softened loveliness; there were certain purple lights and crimson 
shade and golden glows that recalled so vividly the wonderful fairy 
flower for whose sake he felt that he loved them every one. 



64 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


“ But you see, Li,” he said at last, “ it wasn’t chased — it seems 
as if I just found the way to pick it up and carry it home with me ” 




KITTY’S RING 


ITTY had a nice comfortable home and kind parents, but 
she was tired of the monotony of going to school and 
never seeing anything new. A party of six people came to 
the hotel in the little village to spend the summer, and Kitty looked 
almost enviously at the girl about her own age who wore fine clothes 
and rode in a carriage. 

To be sure Lillian’s face was as pale as a lily while Kitty’s 
cheeks rivaled the roses in the garden in front of her house, and 
while Lillian became weak and tired with only a short walk, Kitty 
could run from morning until night with the greatest ease. But 
Kitty did not think of this, she did not know that it was on 
account of Lillian’s poor health that her mamma had brought her 
to Villavale, and that her parents would have been much happier 
if their little daughter was as healthy and bright-looking as Kitty, 
for it was only at times that Kitty became dissatisfied with her lot 
in life. 

“ Am I to spend all my life in this quiet little town down be- 

( 65 ) 



5 





GG 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


tween the trees, as if there was no great world outside where people 
enjoy themselves and have everything nice? This old blue dress and 
checked apron must look hideous to Lillian Lane! ” 

Then she thought of the pretty embroidered dress with its 
broad sash of pale blue ribbon and the dainty white lace-trimmed hat 
that had been worn by Lillian the last time she met her. 

“ And what a pretty ruby ring she has with her name engraved 
inside, that her papa gave her on her last birthday, and no one ever 
gives me anything,” she murmured, forgetful of the fond kisses she 
had received from her parents on her last birthday when she had 
announced quite proudly that she was eleven years old. 

Kitty was seated at the foot of a large tree a short distance up 
the hill at the back of her home. From her position she could see 
her mother sitting on the porch at the side of the house stitching 
away at a new apron for her little girl, because she could not afford 
to have the sewing done away from home and had to do it all, along 
with her housework; but it was a task of love when Kitty was con¬ 
cerned and that was the reason that Kitty was always neatly and 
prettily attired, so that people wondered how Mrs. Walton contrived 
to dress her so nicely. Kitty, however, often forgot all this. Conse¬ 
quently on this occasion, when the memory of Lillian’s rich clothing 
rankled in her mind, the sight of the blue gingham material on which 
her mamma was working made her feel still worse. 



KITTY’S RING 


67 


“ I am sick of it all! ” she exclaimed, pulling idly at the grass 
around her. 

“ Sick of what, pray? ” asked a thin voice, and lo! there in front 
of Kitty stood a wee woman, attired in a brilliant scarlet cloak, 
her bright little eyes looking sharply into Kitty’s wide-open, be¬ 
wildered brown ones; and no wonder, for never had Kitty imagined 
an object such as this! She was only as tall as Kitty’s little finger; 
her face was as brown and shriveled as a leaf in autumn; she 
balanced herself lightly on a twig that had fallen from the tree, and 
she held a tiny golden-tipped wand in her hand. 

“ What are you sick of, little girl ?” she repeated in a kindly voice. 

“ I am tired of everything,” answered Kitty, her trembling 
tones showing the state of her mind. 

“ What do you wish? Perhaps I can help you.” 

“ Who are you, please, ma’am? ” Kitty ventured to inquire. 

“ I am Scarlethood, the queen of the oak fairies who live in 
this tree.” 

“ Live in the tree! How do you get in ? ” 

“ Behold ” — Scarlethood waved her wand three times upward 
and downward, saying in a sing-song manner — 

“ By this wand of magic wood, 

In the hand of Scarlethood, 

I command thee, mighty tree, 

Open, open unto me.” 



68 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


To Kitty’s surprise a tiny door opened in the tree beneath which 
she reclined, and in it stood a fairy page dressed gaily in purple and 
gold, holding in his hand a little white cap. 

“ It’s a very easy matter, you see,” said the queen. Then 
waving her wand again, the door closed, leaving no trace of its 
existence, although Kitty looked closely for it. 

The fairy was pleased at the child’s surprise. 

“ Now what can I do for you, little girl, before I go? Tell me 
what troubles you.” 

Then Kitty told all her grievances to the kindly little woman. 

“ Ah, ha, my dear, is that all ? Why, I will give you the means 
of gratifying all your wishes. Take this ring, wear it always on 
the first finger of your left hand, and when you desire anything press 
your lips to the ring and you will obtain it.” 

So saying, she placed a pretty gold band ring with a peculiar 
greenish-blue stone set in it, on Kitty’s hand and, hastily waving her 
wand, disappeared through the little door which opened to receive 
her. 

Kitty rubbed her eyes which felt heavy; she would have thought 
it all a dream had it not been for the ring with its beautiful set 
glowing upon her finger. 

“ What should I wish for?” she mused, gently caressing the 
pretty stone. 



KITTY’S RING 


09 


She had always wanted to see something of the world, and no 
sooner had the wish entered her mind than she felt herself borne 
away from her seat beneath the oak. She saw her home and her 
mother disappearing from view, and finally lost sight of even the 
church steeples in Villavale, which never before had seemed so 
desirable a place to live in, still on and onward she was hurried by 
the invisible power, farther and farther away from home. 

Finally she came to a great city, and her speed lessened, until 
she was set down at the door of a stately building, into which many 
ladies, were going; Kitty followed them closely, through a large, wide 
hall, into an immense room, where little cots were placed in rows 
its entire length. Very dainty they looked, with snowy white 
spreads. Kitty was tall enough to catch a glimpse of their occu¬ 
pants; in one a little girl just about Kitty’s age lay, her hands, arms, 
neck and face covered with bandages, while she moaned and tossed, 
crying for her mamma. Kitty heard the sweet-faced nurse explain 
to one of the ladies that the child’s mother had been burned to death 
trying to save her. 

“ She is left alone in the world, poor dear, if she ever recovers 
from her frightful burns.” 

Kitty’s tears fell thick and fast as she followed in the footsteps 
of the lady, who, leaving the large room, entered a smaller one in 
which a dozen children from three to twelve years of age played 



TO 


THU FAIRY CHASHR 


around the floor; but also each one of them was afflicted in some 
way. Several had their little feet encased in steel braces, some 
walked with crutches, and one forlorn-looking creature crept to the 
lady’s side, saying piteously: 

“Is you my mamma?” 

“ Her parents are dead,” said the nurse. Kitty, unable longer 
to endure the sight of the friendless little ones, hurried away from 
the place. 

She was impelled upward and over the tops of the houses, from 
the elegant, clean part of the city, to a narrow alley and into the 
top story of a tall, sooty building. She entered a room which was 
very small and dark, although it was the middle of the afternoon. 
Its furnishing was shabby but clean. In one window stood a flower 
pot over which a girl as big as Kitty bent, watching with loving 
interest a sickly-looking vine which grew in it. Her dress was very 
shabby; it was patched and mended until little of the original stuff 
remained, but it was clean and her brown hair was neatly brushed 
away from her brow. 

“ Dear little vine, you are doing nicely. How glad I am I 
brought you home the day of our Sunday School excursion to the 
woods! I wonder if you are lonely away from the beautiful coun¬ 
try? See, I’ll place you where you will get a little sunlight ; it’s too 
bad that tall factory over there shades so much of it away.” 



KITTY’S RING 


71 


How ardently Kitty wished she could show the girl the lovely 
flowers and brooks and trees at home, which she herself had some¬ 
times despised. 

She did not linger long in the close little room, but went down 
the dark, narrow stairs, flight after flight, until she reached the filthy 
court below, where several children, very forlorn and dirty, were 
trying to sail a paper boat in the muddy stream which ran through 
the gutter. Kitty hurried along the uneven pavements, anxious to 
leave the place where she felt she could hardly breathe. She soon 
met a little maiden who stood crying over a broken pitcher. 

“ I am afraid to go home, Aunt Miranda will lick me,” she said. 

Kitty, looking back when she had gained the street corner, saw 
a huge, red-faced woman advance, loudly scolding, while she un¬ 
mercifully cuffed the poor child. 

Kitty thought of the time she had broken a pretty vase while 
dusting it. How gently her mamma had admonished her to be more 
careful in the future, and had never said a cross word about it, 
although she was very fond of the ornament. 

“ I am glad I have no Aunt Miranda,” she thought as she went 
on her way. 

Soon she came to a beautiful mansion with a wide lawn in front 
as smooth as velvet, and going through the open door and upstairs 
found herself in what seemed to be the schoolroom. 



72 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


Two girls, one eleven and the other older, and a boy of eight 
sat studying, while their governess, a very stiff and cross-looking 
lady, heard their recitations. 

The girls were nicely dressed, one in dark red, the other in blue 
cashmere, with velvet trimmings and each wore a pair of pretty ear¬ 
rings, but in spite of their fine clothes, they looked even more un¬ 
happy than Kitty had when the fairy Scarlethood appeared to her. 

“Not solved that problem yet? It is evident you did not try 
very hard.” 

“ Oh, yes, I did, Miss Govern, but my head aches so I can’t 
see into it.” 

“That is an old excuse, Alice. Your head never troubles you 
when you are reading those silly story books. I shall speak to your 
mamma on her return and have this reading stopped.” 

“ Please don’t, Miss Govern, I’m just at the interesting part 
where fairy Greatheart comes to release Goldenhair—” 

“ Nonsense! A great girl like you should think of other things. 
There is Nettie with a spot of ink on her nice dress! Careless girl! 
I shall tell your mamma to keep you in all day to-morrow for this.” 

Nettie, the younger sister, looked sorrowfully at the spot on 
her red frock. 

“ I hate these clothes! Other girls dress in plain clothes and 
can run and play and have a good time, while we have to sit prim 



KITTY’S RING 


73 


all day! ” she exclaimed tearfully, whereupon Miss Govern, with an 
expression of horror, gave each of the girls a ringing blow on the 
head with a book; then went over to little Oscar, who bent over his 
book, not noticing the noise around, for he was used to it. 

“ Well, sir; this is a pretty looking copy book, and the ink all 
over your fingers, too!” He also received a slap and began to cry 
at the top of his voice. 

The door opened. A tall, beautiful lady entered, dressed in rich 
brown silk, with glistening diamond ornaments; on her fair hair 
she wore a small velvet bonnet. 

Miss Govern explained the state of affairs; the lady listened 
with a worried look. 

“ Was ever a mother so tormented as I ? My children are the 
worst in the world! Oscar, stop that crying! Alice, give Miss 
Govern your book and let me hear no more complaints of this kind; 
and, Nettie, you will be sent to bed immediately after supper. I am 
going out to dinner at Mrs. High flown’s and after that to the con¬ 
cert for the benefit of motherless children,” she explained to the 
governess, ere she hurried away. 

Kitty heard all this in astonishment. What a different mamma 
had she, one who helped her with her lessons and was always inter¬ 
ested in her pursuits and reading. She would not exchange places 
with these children for the world! 



74 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


It was getting late in the evening when Kitty left this house. 
She was beginning to feel hungry, and the sight of a confectioner’s 
window in which many dainties were displayed attracted her atten¬ 
tion. She stopped for a moment, wondering what she should order. 
Presently two other girls about her own size also stopped and looked 
longingly in. 

“Urn, my — don’t that cake look good? Wonder what kind 
it is,” said one, smacking her lips. 

“ Why, that’s fruit cake! I tasted it once. My brother went to 
the newsboys’ dinner and put a piece of it in his pocket for me. Oh, 
my! but it was scrumptious! ” 

“ Don’t I wish I was rich! I’d go in and buy it. Wonder 
how much it cost! And this cake, six or seven on top of each 
other! ” 

“Why, that’s jelly cake! Don’t you know? Tell you what 
I’d do if I was rich. I’d live in the country and have a cow and 
chickens! ” 

“And keep pigs, too! Wonder what chicken tastes like.” 

Kitty’s hunger almost disappeared in her wonder. Here were 
two little unfortunates, who would think her lot in life all that could 
be desired. 

She pressed her lips to the pretty ring, saying: “ I wish I had 
enough money to buy supper for these two and myself,” and opening 








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A tiny door opened, and in it stood a fairy page 





KITTY’S RING 


77 


her kid purse she found it filled with bright pieces of silver. 

She gave several of them to each of the poor children, telling 
them to “ Go and buy the cake and everything else you want.” 
Their joyful amazement was pleasant to see. 

Then she went into a restaurant and sitting at a small square 
table, ordered a meal for herself; but when the waiter brought it she 
could not eat. She thought of the cheerful little room at home which 
opened from the vine-covered porch, how it was her task to help 
arrange the supper table, to place in the center a large bowl of 
flowers, and to have her papa’s easy slippers ready when he came 
home from work. She wondered if her mamma would miss her 
helping hand, and what her papa would say when he saw no little 
daughter with clean apron and smooth hair at the gate to give him 
a fond greeting. 

She tried to swallow her coffee, but it was cold and sloppy — 
nothing like the fragrant drink her mamma made; and the bread was 
hard and the meat tough. 

She missed the pretty silver mug of nice milk and the dish of 
delicious honey; above all, she missed the dear ones who always sat 
near her at the table. 

It was growing dark. Kitty’s spirits were getting lower and 
lower as she hurried along the city streets among the crowd which 
jostled her. 



78 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


“ I will wish to be at home again/’ she said, raising her hand, 
but to her horror the ring was gone. 

She wrung her hands and sobbed, “ What shall I do ? I’ll never 
find my way home.” 

She tried to find the place where she had lunched thinking, per¬ 
haps, she had left the magic ring there, but in vain; she was hope¬ 
lessly lost in that great strange town! 

She sat on the steps of a house in a quiet street to rest, for her 
feet were tired and blistered. Soon a large woman, with her head 
wrapped in a shawl, came along, and noticing the crying child, 
rudely grasped her hand and dragged her away. She was the ugly, 
red-faced creature, Aunt Miranda. 

“ Please let me go, you are hurting my hand,” Kitty cried, but 
the woman only said: “ Shut up your yelling, Sal, or the police will 
put you in jail.” 

“ My name is not Sal! ” 

“Yes, it is, Sal Brown, my niece; I’ll teach you to contradict 
me.” As her great rough hand was raised, Kitty gave a loud 
despairing shriek. 

“ Why, Kitty, what is the matter; have you been asleep, dear ? ” 

It was the sweet voice of her mother, who stood at her side 
beneath the oak tree in their own little garden. 

“ Oh, mamma, I’m so glad! ” she cried. 



KITTY’S RING 


70 


She joyfully followed her into the house, where the table was 
already set. 

“ You have had quite a long nap, little daughter,” said Mrs. 
Walton. 

“ I guess the fairy took pity on me and brought me away from 
that horrible woman,” thought Kitty, as she put on her new apron 
and ran to meet her papa. 

And after that day her dissatisfaction disappeared forever and 
she never saw Fairy Scarlethood or the green-blue ring again. 







































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THE MAGIC MIRRORS 

PART I 

A Poppy Girl 

MATILDA, your emblem should be the poppy,” cried Mrs. 
Lane, chidingly. 

She stood in the doorway of a white frame dwelling 
— a kindly looking woman attired in a neat calico working dress; 
her hands were raised in a despairing gesture as she surveyed the 
small culprit who came up the green bordered path to the porch. 

Matilda was a bright, gray-eyed girl, apparently nine years of 
age, with brown curls escaping below her straw hat and falling to 
the waist of her pretty print gown. 

She paused in surprise and puckered her brows. 

“A poppy, mamma, why?” 

“ You did not call at the grocery after all I told you. I waited 
in vain for the things you promised so faithfully to order.” 

“ Oh, mamma, I’m so sorry.” 



(81) 





82 


THE P AIRY CHASER 


“And I am sorry that I cannot depend upon your word, 
Matilda.” 

“Mamma, it really isn’t my fault! There must be a puncture 
in my remembrancer that lets things out. I was so sure I’d call at 
Rand’s but I met Sally Miller and we turned down another street,” 
Matilda explained, following her mother into the pleasant kitchen 
where the mid-day luncheon awaited her. 

While she enjoyed the appetizing things her mother had pre¬ 
pared she asked: 

“But about the poppy, mamma — why should it be my 
emblem? ” 

“ Because it typifies forgetfulness,” returned Mrs. Lane. 

“ And what's the flower of remembering, mamma dear ? ” 

“ ‘ And there is pansies — that’s for thoughts ! ’ I wish my little 
girl might wear one.” 

Matilda, on her way to school, resolved to earn the right to 
wear the purple pansy. She was well aware that her forgetfulness 
of things often annoyed her mother sadly and put her to unnecessary 
trouble. 

“ I will deserve to wear the pansy,” she said. 

But resolving and doing are quite different matters. 

At home that evening she again reverted to the subject. 

“What are you and your mamma talking about so earnestly, 



THE MAGIC MIRRORS 


83 


Mattie? All I could hear was ‘ poppy ’ and ‘ pansy/ ” said Mr. Lane 
throwing the paper down and drawing the little maid to his side 
fondly. 

Mattie explained. Her father looked grave. 

“ Forgetfulness is a serious failing, my love. I only hope you 
will try to cultivate its opposite, as your mamma wishes. While you 
are yet young is the time to plant good seed. If you grow up to 
earn your own living as so many brave girls are doing, that would 
prove a great handicap. Think of the result if the trained nurse 
should forget the doctor's instructions, if the railway employe forgot 
his orders, if clerks should forget to send purchases promptly. In 
all walks of life it would prove a grave fault, and so your mamma 
finds it when her instructions are forgotten. What would become 
of you and me if she were to become as forgetful? You would not 
be called in time for school, the housekeeping department would 
fall to pieces, destroying our comfortable home.” 

“ Mamma forget! Why, she’s the precioasest old pansy in the 
world,” exclaimed Matilda emphatically, thereby upsetting his 
gravity, and perhaps that of his lecture. 

Mrs. Lane, who had listened to the conversation, went about 
her work apparently lost in thought, of an amusing nature, however, 
for she smiled to herself as she put the cream pitcher away in its 
place. 



84 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


The next day when Mattie reached home the little square table 
in the kitchen was covered with its “ tidied-up ” red cloth with the 
white one still folded upon it; no singing coffee boiler steamed on 
the stove, no inviting looking dishes were ready to be uncovered, and 
no busy mother was bustling about. 

Presently the latter came from the front of the house. 

“Why, mamma, what’s wrong?” inquired Matilda. 

“ Why, my dear ? ” 

“ Took! ” She pointed toward the empty table. 

“Well?” 

“ Tunch isn’t ready, and I wanted to hurry back to school to do 
my sums before the bell rings,” Mattie cried, aggrieved. 

“Well, I declare, child! Mrs. Black came in and we had such 
a long chat in the parlor, it appears that lunch must have escaped my 
mind.” 

The little girl glanced curiously at the speaker. Was there a 
sly gleam in her eyes, a veiled meaning in her quiet declaration ? 

“How funny! Well, I’ll lay the cloth and set the table,” said 
Mattie discreetly. 

The following Saturday Matilda busied herself in the garden, 
attending her flower beds. For the last few days she had taken a 
special interest in the pansies. She wished she had some poppies, 
also, though she did not want those flowers to be peculiarly her own. 



THE MAGIC MIRRORS 


85 


Mrs. Lane was busy in the house from which came a delicious 
odor of stewing blackberries; Matilda had helped to stir them before 
coming out. 

After a while she received a summons from the doorway. 

“ Matilda, I wish you would run down to Rand's and bring me 
a dollar’s worth of sugar. I must have it right away or my jam will 
be spoiled.” 

Matilda obeyed, glad to have a good run in the fresh morning 
air. It took but a short while to reach the store and hurry up the 
clerk. She started homeward briskly, package in hand. 

Half way there she met a group of school girls talking and 
chattering like a bevy of birds. Evidently they knew something 
interesting. 

They hailed the curious Matilda. 

“ Are you going, Mat ? ” 

“Where?” 

“ To the Sunday School picnic at Marsh’s grove.” 

“ When is it to be, girls? ” 

Matilda stopped and heard all the particulars. At last she con¬ 
tinued her journey accompanied by her dearest friend, Sallie Miller. 
They had profound secrets for each other’s ears alone. While they 
loitered at a shop window to admire the display, another girl came 
hurrying along. 



86 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


“ Come and hear about the picnic, Della! ” they cried, but she 
shook her head. 

“ I really can’t stop, girls, ma is waiting for the milk.” 

Matilda heard the answer in dismay. 

“ Oh, Sallie, mamma will be so angry,” she exclaimed, rushing 
away. 

“ Matilda, Matilda, do you know how long you’ve been on a 
twenty minutes’ errand? A whole hour! ” 

“Is the jam spoiled, mamma?” inquired the delinquent, 
ruefully. 

“ No, but no thanks to you. I had to borrow sugar from Mrs. 
Harlow.” 

Matilda returned sorrowfully to her flower bed but when she 
glanced at the pansies, their round eyes seemed to glare at her 
reproachfully. 

“ How mean they are, to stare so, and I do feel badly to have 
disappointed mamma. I might as well have a cabbage head on my 
shoulders at once,” she muttered. 

On the following Sunday morning, Matilda went to the ward¬ 
robe for her pink lawn dress. When she took it out what was her 
surprise to find it just as she had left it a week before with the 
ruffle torn and hanging loose where it had caught on a nail. It could 
not be worn that way and she specially desired to wear it. Sallie 



thb magic mirrors 


87 


would have on her blue batiste, and they had planned to visit a friend 
after church. 

Mrs. Lane glanced in. Seeing the disappointed droop to 
Mattie’s lips, she asked — 

“ What’s wrong, daughter?” 

“ Mamma, I asked you to be sure to mend this yesterday, and 
see! ” 

She held out the unfortunate dress. The lady smoothed out the 
torn ruffle. 

“ That is too bad, but blame it on the poppy,” she said quietly. 

Again Matilda detected that gleam in her mother’s usually 
placid glance. 

“ But you never used to forget, mamma.” 

“ Have you ever noticed how the odor of a flower scents the air 
all around? Perhaps your poppy propensities have affected me in 
the same way.” 

Mattie gazed wonderingly at her mother. Never before had she 
taken this manner of speaking in riddles. It was a new phase in her 
character and Matilda had thought that she knew her thoroughly — 
so slow to anger, so quick to excuse, to forgive, her daughter’s foibles. 

While she arrayed herself in her second best gown, a pretty 
sprigged pique, Matilda decided that she did not like riddles of any 
kind. 



88 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


“You will have to wear the poppy, too, mamma,” she cried. 

“ Well, under existing conditions I fear I have cultivated the 
pansy too long,” was the enigmatical reply. 

As time went on Matilda found that her mother was growing 
even more forgetful. 

No longer were the child’s stockings found to her hand care¬ 
fully darned; the holes grew bigger and bigger. No longer was her 
hat ready on its hook where she could snatch it hastily on her way 
out; she was obliged to wait and hunt for it where she had thrown it 
the night before. Her shoes were not sent to be mended, strings and 
buttons were not replaced. 

“ Mamma has become very poppided indeed,” she thought one 
day, as she brushed her dusty hat with impatient dashes of the 
brush. 

So many little things formerly seen to all but unnoticed by the 
little girl no longer received attention and the result vexed her 
greatly. 

She could not complain, however, being herself subject to her 
old failing, and still forgot so many, many things. 

In the olden time she had been wont to say: “ Oh, mamma, 
I’m so sorry I forgot,” and expect that to make amends for her 
mother’s annoyance and now her mother had a similar plaint:— 

“ It must be the poppy in the family.” 



THE MAGIC MIRRORS 


89 


“ There must be a whole bed of poppies,” returned Mattie in 
disgust, for she had asked her mother to prepare a lunch to take 
along on a flower hunting trip with Sallie that day, and no lunch 
was ready. 

The lady smiled in that unaccountable way. 

“ We should try and root them out,” she observed suggestively. 
“ And plant pansies — let’s, mamma.” 

“ It is a compact,” said Mrs. Lane, stooping to kiss the upturned 

lips. 

The little girl called good-bye and bounded joyously out of sight 
and the lady watched her with all the mother-love shining in her 
eyes, while still wearing that smile which had so often puzzled 
Mattie. 



PART II 


A Pansy Girl 

ATUE and Matilda had a pleasant walk to the field which 
they proposed to explore that day. The road skirted hills 
partly covered with small trees and bushes. They gave 
frequent glances upward in search of flowers. 

All at once a bright gleam of red amid the green attracted their 
attention. They climbed the hillside with eager steps. 

“ How lovely,” cried Sallie. 

“ Poppies! ” said Matilda. 

Sure enough,- there they were, a cluster of fragrant poppy 
flowers, raising their gorgeous heads from surrounding walls of 
green. 

“Just what you were wishing for, Mat.” 

They dug up the roots with care and put them in the basket. 

Presently they reached their destination, but without finding 
any more flowers; woodland treasures were scarce. 

Tired with walking, they sat in the shade of a “honey-pod” 
tree to rest and take lunch. Not the dainty affair with a taste of 

( 90 ) 





THE MAGIC MIRRORS 


91 


many good things such as Mrs. Lane had provided for other outings, 
— Mrs. Miller, Sallie’s mother, the overworked mistress of a large 
household being too busy to be called upon for that, — it consisted 
instead of huge slices of bread and butter and a square of ginger¬ 
bread hurriedly prepared by Mattie herself. Not very appetizing, 
certainly, but welcome to youthful hunger, along with cold sparkling 
water from a neighboring spring. 

When they had cleared away the fragments, Sallie started for 
a near-by ridge to discover what lay beyond while indolent Matilda 
stretched herself comfortably on the greensward to await “ Scout 
Miller’s ” return. 

The blue o*f the sky was visible between the interlacing tree 
branches above and saucy flecks of sunlight darted through, making 
Mattie blink her eyes. 

“ Isn’t it time for Sal to be back ? ” she thought after a while. 

She detected a sweet heavy odor and inhaled it with delight. It 
came from the basket. “ Poppies,” she murmured drowsily, “ But 
what’s keeping Sallie?” 

She arose languidly and looked toward the ridge, but no Sallie 
was in sight. 

“ She must have met a band of Indians like a real old-time 
scout, so I’ll go armed cap-a-pie (or hat-minus-pie, thanks to 
mamma) and rescue her.” 



92 


THE PAIRY CHASER 


She followed the path her friend had taken and soon reached 
the top of the knoll. 

It declined gently on the other side in sloping fields of varied 
browns and grays and greens relieved in spots by the dun red and 
black and white of cows which had sought the welcome shade of the 
trees. Far below a country road crept along like a great yellow 
snake. A flour mill was seen beyond and then the river sweeping 
around a bend. 

How serenely beautiful it was. 

But Matilda’s glance soon strayed back in a further search for 
Sallie but that small personage in her flaxen braids and stiffly 
starched skirts was nowhere in sight. 

Matilda pursed her lips in what would be considered a very 
unladylike way — a shrill whistle disturbed the air for a moment — 
and then — the screwed-up mouth opened suddenly to its widest 
extent with a scream of mingled surprise and delight. 

“ Our flag! How beautiful! ” 

No wonder she clapped her hands with joy, for there right 
at her feet was stretched an expanse of flowers, three broad 
bands, a stripe of poppies, then one of white violets with purple 
pansies beside, forming an almost perfect design of the American 
flag. 

“Sallie, Sallie, where are you? Why didn’t you come back 



THE MAGIC MIRRORS 


93 


and tell me?” screamed Mattie in rapture and reproach, longing to 
enjoy it all in company with her chum. 

But no voice replied. Sallie was nowhere to be seen. 

“ Oh, the lovely, lovely things! Sal, Sal - e - e -! ” cried Mattie, 
with all the strength of her young lungs. 

“ What’s the matter, pray? ” said a piping voice. 

Mattie looking in the direction from whence it came, saw a tiny 
form, only a few inches high standing between the red and white 
stripes of the flag. She was dressed in vivid crimson all broidered 
o’er with golden stars. 

“W-h-y- !” was all that Mattie could articulate. 

The little creature rubbed her eyes. 

“ I was just in the midst of a nice nap,” she exclaimed 
querulously. 

Mattie was about to make excuses, when another voice, thin but 
musical was heard saying: 

“I’m sure it was time for you to awake! Such a sleepy head as 
you are! ” 

A second mite of a person had risen up between the white and 
blue stripes, directly opposite the first. She wore a gown of shining 
blue, with pansy eyes worked in a beautiful pattern around the hem. 

“ Mind your own affairs, Madam Pry,” was the answer she 
received. 



94 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


Mattie thought it sounded queer to hear those sharp remarks. 
To be sure she and Sallie often addressed each other in a similar 
strain but on the part of such elegant appearing little ladies it was 
bewildering to say the least, and when the same voice added, “ Be¬ 
sides, this girl should have more consideration for me — she is one 
of my band,” she could only gasp : “ W - h - y - ! Who are you ? ” 
The first voice chanted in reply — 

“ I am the fairy Poppse — 

Those mortals I’ll claim yet, 

Who use in spring or winter gay, 

The magic word Forget! ” 

The singer bowed and stepped back with a flourish of her tiny 
wand. Then the second voice was raised in expostulation. 

“You cannot claim her yet. She is wavering between you and 

me.” 

The other laughed derisively while Mattie said timidly:— 

“ Who are you, please? ” 

She liked the appearance of the second comer, who seemed 
amiable and friendly. 

The latter stepped forward and sang— 

“ I am the fairy Panzia, 

Who in spring or bleak December, 

Claims those mortals for her own, 

Who use the magic word Remember.” 



THE MAGIC MIRRORS 


95 


She, too, retired with a gracious bow and a wave of her tiny 
wand. 

Both fairies had long golden hair and wore crowns that glittered 
with gems which sparkled in the sun and emitted rainbow tints. 
In Poppse’s red predominated, and in Panzia’s blue. 

“ However, let us be hospitable. Come, little mortal, and see 
the region where I hold sway,” exclaimed Poppse. 

“ Thank you, but it is time to go home and I must find Sallie,” 
faltered Matilda. 

Poppse laughed: “ If you should return home on time, it would 
scare your mamma.” 

Mattie did not relish the joke. “ She is a malicious creature,” 
she thought resentfully. 

“ I should like you to see my kingdom,” said Panzia graciously. 
“ You will have plenty of time. Come, follow me.” 

She waved her wand. 

“ Come, follow me,” echoed Poppse, also raising her wand. 

Mattie wished to obey Panzia. She had no desire to accompany 
Poppse but against her will she found herself impelled to do so. 

The fairies turned in opposite directions. Poppse looked back. 
Seeing the little girl following her so reluctantly, she cried in 
triumph — 



9G 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


“ Come follow me and join my band, 

Afar in Poppy Fairyland.” 

How quickly she glided while Mattie rushed alter as speedily, 
across the fields, through a dense thicket of thorn trees, which 
strangely enough did not tear her dress, until they reached the bleak 
side of a towering mountain. 

Here they stopped. 

“ In the name of Poppse, 

Open, open, unto me! ” 

Thrice the queen rapped with her wand upon a great stone 
which opened like a door into the mountain side to admit them. 

She entered, beckoning her companion to do likewise. 

The child obeyed, still against her will. 

“ I wish Sallie were along,” she thought. 

Mattie felt singularly forlorn when she heard the gate closing 
with a mighty bang behind her. Looking over her shoulder she was 
surprised to see fairy Panzia gliding along in her wake. 

“ W - h - ” she began, but the little lady put her finger warningly 
to her lips. 

Mattie felt more comforted, feeling that she had a friend so 

near. 

They traversed a tunnel-like passage where a semi-twilight pre¬ 
vailed which led them to a deep valley arched by the sky and enclosed 



THB MAGIC MIRRORS 


97 


by sloping hills. An overpowering scent of poppies filled the air. 
Those flowers grew in profusion everywhere but larger than any 
Matilda had ever before seen. Poppse seated herself on the largest 
and most gorgeous one of all, elevated in the center of the valley. 

“ This is my throne. Behold my court.” 

She waved her wand. Instantly beside each of the numerous 
poppies stood a diminutive creature attired in red, — red of all shades 
but none of so vivid a hue as Poppse’s. 

“ Behold a new candidate to our band. She has served me well 
on earth,” cried Poppae, presenting the little girl. 

Shrill shouts of approbation were heard, which were not at all 
relished by Mattie. She would have protested but she had not the 
power, the spell that had compelled her to follow Poppse was still 
upon her. 

“ What is required of a mortal in order to gain admission to 
Fairyland?” the queen inquired. 

They answered in a sing-song chorus: 

“Ere the barriers she may pass, 

Let her look into the magic glass.” 

Before they had concluded the song a tiny stream of water came 
down the hillside and spread itself before the astonished eyes of 
Matilda until it assumed the appearance of an immense mirror of 

burnished silver. 

7 



98 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


While she gazed upon it fascinated, many scenes were imaged 
within, as though it were the stage of a theatre. 

First appeared a village where crowds of boys or girls chatted 
or played games, forgetful of everything else. Scenes enacted in 
their respective homes were visible at the same time. 

Distracted mothers awaited impatiently the medicine for sick 
babies, while the messenger lingered at play; others postponed visits 
because the daughter who was to take her place loitered with the 
girls, dinners were spoiled, plans upset, lessons unlearned, everything 
was topsy-turvy while from the offenders came a nerve-destroying 
chorus of “ I’m so sorry — I forgot! ” 

This made Matilda wince, remembering how often she too had 
sung that weak refrain. 

One boy who resembled little Ted Miller was seen as he started 
from home reciting carefully — 

“ A pound of tea at one and three, 

And a pot of raspberry jam, 

Two new-laid eggs, a dozen pegs, 

And a pound of rashers of ham. 

I’ll say it over all the way, 

And then I’m sure not to forget, 

For if I chance to bring things wrong, 

My mother gets in such a pet.” 

While he went along he repeated it at intervals, distracted in 



the magic mirrors 


99 


the meantime by the doings of his chums and changing the order 
at each repetition until when he reached the shop he cried with 
confidence —- 

“A pound of three at one and tea, 

A dozen of raspberry ham, 

A pot of eggs with a dozen pegs, 

And a rasher of new-laid jam.” 

Matilda was obliged to laugh but Poppse looked grave — 

“ I may lose that boy yet. He tries to remember! ” she mur¬ 
mured. 

The scene changed. It was winter. In a rickety room within 
a dingy tenement house a woman lay sick on a narrow pallet. 
Around her several children stood weeping, hungry and cold. A 
luxurious carriage came dashing down the street in which sat a 
lady wrapped in costly furs. She had once been an intimate friend 
of the poor woman, but now she went past unheeding, while in 
the air between them, the words “ I forgot,” were formed in letters 
of glittering icicles. 

There were many scenes where men and women in shabby attire 
received only blank stares from one-time close companions, now 
types of arrogant wealth. 

That kind of representations amused the fairies who laughed 
immoderately and sang: “I forgot — on purpose!” 


i, OF C. 



100 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


Matilda noticed that each of the prosperous individuals who 
ignored their old friends so heartlessly carried a small cane which 
was invisible to all except those privileged to gaze upon the magic 
mirror. 

“ What are those queer canes ? ” she asked Poppse. 

The latter spoke to a courtier at her side, a fat, pompous little 
fellow as broad as he was long. He bowed and disappeared to 
return a few minutes later carrying a box which resembled a violin 
case. 

This he opened and displayed a lot of the curious looking canes. 
They were made of some transparent material through which ran 
a spiral thread of mist. 

“These are Shortened Memory Sticks” explained the fat fairy 
condescendingly. “You do not need them — you forgot uncon¬ 
sciously when you would often prefer to remember — these are for 
the people who remember when they would rather forget.” 

“ I don’t think I understand,” returned the girl. 

“ Well, I’ll explain. When a man wishes to forget a kindness 
done, or a claim upon him for services rendered by another, or to 
give a cold stare of unrecognition to some ragged chap who perhaps 
was his dearest friend in days gone by, he has only to ask for a 
Shortened Memory Stick — we supply them on demand; that’s one 
advantage in belonging to our Band.” 



THU MAGIC MIRRORS 


101 


Matilda tossed her head scornfully. 

“Do that kind of people belong here? Then I would not join 
for all the world! ” 

The fairies laughed derisively, swinging their tiny bodies from 
side to side. 

“ Hear, hear! ” 

“ Only human nature, my dear,” said Poppse. 

“Not good human nature then. I’m sure most people are not 
so vile as that!” protested Matilda indignantly. She turned away 
and again gave her attention to the mirror. 

It portrayed a different scene. 

It was night. Inside a frame tower-like structure built near 
a network of railway tracks sat a young man apparently lost in 
thought. Beside him on a table a telegraph sounder clicked busily. 
Above it there still hung on a hook an order which should have 
been delivered to a train which had passed fifteen minutes before. 
Suddenly the operator jumped up in consternation, — snatched the 
yellow paper and ran to the door. Afar were heard screams of 
pain following a terrific crash caused by the impact of two locomo¬ 
tives. The watcher moaned pitifully and struck his head in des¬ 
pair, — he muttered something which formed on the air in letters 
of fire the words, “ I forgot! ” 

Then was pictured a ward in a hospital where a dying man 



102 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


breathed painfully, praying in vain for water to moisten his parched 
lips while the attendant sat in an adjoining room engrossed in a 
game of cards. 

Matilda felt herself growing weak with horror at all the sor¬ 
rowful scenes with their accompanying legends — ‘‘I forgot,” “I 
meant to,” and “ I'm so sorry.” 

“ I cannot stand any more of this,” she thought. 

Making a great effort she turned her head away. 

Instantly she heard a cracking sound. She glanced back and 
saw the mirrow shivering into a thousand pieces. Thinking it 
would fall upon and overwhelm her, she turned and fled not knowing 
where. 

Presently a familiar voice wdiispered, “ Come, follow me.” 
The blue robe of Panzia glimmered ahead. Matilda did not hesitate 
this time to obey her command. 

They retraced their way through the tunnel to a ponderous 
door. Matilda tried the knob but it was locked. 

“Don't be uneasy,” returned Panzia hearing her exclamation 
of dismay, “ I thought of bringing this.” 

She unfastened a small golden key from her girdle and put it 
into the lock. 

Immediately the door swung outward and they were free! 
They heard the door clang to with a resounding crash. Matilda 



THE MAGIC MIRRORS 


103 


turned to where it had been and saw only the rocky side of the 
mountain. 

“ We will return by another route,” said Panzia, gliding away 
to the right. 

They gained a pleasant field where pansies grew in pro¬ 
fusion. “Strange that Sallie and I could not find even one!” 
thought Mattie. 

What was her joy a few minutes later to see the flower flag 
spread out at her feet. 

“ Let us rest here," Panzia said, seating herself beside the blue 
stripe and motioning her companion to do likewise. Matilda was 
glad to comply. After a short silence Panzia observed, “Now that 
you have looked into Poppse's magic mirror, I should like you to 
see mine.” 

She took from her golden girdle a tiny hand-glass framed in 
pearl. In the act of passing from her hand to Matilda's it grew 
from the size of a dime to that of a silver dollar. Matilda surveyed 
it with delight. 

“ I wish Sal could see it,” she murmured. 

She looked everywhere around for her friend but she was not 
to be seen. Then she glanced into the mirror and saw strange 
scenes pictured there as large and true to life as had been those 
in the other glass, but more pleasing. 



104 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


Happy homes were seen, where lived the boys and girls who 
remembered, busy cities teeming with workers, each at his task, 
miners toiling in the earth, sailors on the sea, each doing his part 
in the active work of the world. 

“ But why do those men and women who are standing around 
idle look with contempt upon the ones who are doing the hard 
work ? ” asked Matilda suddenly. 

Panzia sighed. “ Ah, child, you have an observant eye. It is 
because they are doing the work. ’Tis the way of the world! ” 

Before Mattie could protest against this seeming injustice, a 
different scene was reflected in the mirror. The sick were visited, 
the sorrowful consoled. Again was shown that miserable room 
where lived the suffering woman with the children cold and hungry, 
but this time the door opened and a woman entered bringing heat 
and clothing and food, with wine and tempting dainties to coax the 
invalid back to life. How beautiful it was to see! 

The scene changed to a prison cell. A man sat on a narrow 
cot, his head bent in unutterable weariness and loneliness as he 
thought of his early days of careless childhood, the later time of 
temptation, the present punishment and the future, a coming pro¬ 
cession of gray, empty days like this. 

Steps were heard in the stone corridor and angel visitors in 
the form of mortals came with cheering words engendering in the 



THE MAGIC MIRRORS 


105 




prisoner’s soul repentance for the past, atonement in the present 
and hope for the days to come. 

“ I was sick and in prison and you visited me,” was written 
in fragrant white flowers on the walls of the cell. 

Slowly the scene faded to give place to another where persons 
in shabby garments — apparent failures in the battle of life — turn¬ 
ing away to avoid an expected cold stare of unrecognition from pros¬ 
perous friends, were hailed by the latter with outstretched hands — 
positions were found, help given and, best of all, cheering words of 
kindly remembrance were spoken. 

Then came asylums where children were taught and cared for. 
Along the different roads leading there, wagons went with loads 
of fruit and vegetables or wearing apparel, all for the orphans. 
Christmas time was shown where these children rejoiced over gifts 
of toys and books in a hall hung with green garlands across which 
stretched an arch bearing the inscription in shining letters: “ Inas¬ 
much as you did it to the least of these, my little ones, you did it 
unto Me.” 

“ Oh, Panzia, how beautiful! Who are all those people who 
go around doing good?” exclaimed Matilda, with glistening eyes. 

“They are members of the Thoughtful Band,” returned the 
fairy. 

“I wish that I, too, might join!” 



106 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


“And so you may, my child, if — ” 

That was all Matilda heard. Panzia and the magic glass and 
the brilliant flower flag faded away and she found herself lying 
neath the “ honey-pod ” tree with the basket of poppies at her side 
and Sallie leaning over, tickling her nose with a blade of grass. 

“Oh, you lazy thing!” cried Sallie. 

“Where did you go, Sal? I hunted for you everywhere!” 

“ I went up to the top of the ridge, of course! Then I called 
back but you never stirred. So I sat down and rested for awhile 
and then came straight back,” explained Sallie volubly. 

“ Then you must have gone to sleep,” returned Mattie. “ It’s 
too bad you didn't stay awake and go with me to see so many strange 
sights! ” 

Sallie thought so too, when on the way home she heard all 
about the fairy queens and their wonderful mirrors. 

“ I’ll try to join the Band too; I don’t forget things like you do, 
Mat! ” she observed, not vauntingly but as a matter of fact. 

When Mattie related her experiences to her parents that night 
they were much interested. They praised her determination to 
become a member of the Thoughtful Band, saying that they too 
should like to belong. 

Singular to relate, from that day forward Mattie very seldom 
forgot and her mamma never failed to remember. 



THE MAGIC MIRRORS 


107 


On Matilda’s next birthday she was presented with a blue 
enameled pansy breastpin with a tiny white stone like a drop of dew 
in the centre. 

“ And what do you get, mamma?” she inquired. 

“ My reward is a thoughtful little pansy girl,” began Mrs. 
Lane with a smile. 

“ ‘Who in spring or bleak December,’” interrupted Mattie — 
“'Claims the magic word Remember,’” cried Mr. Lane. 
















































' 












































* 






























































- I 






























THE OLD GRAY SHAWL 


CHAPTER I 

A Mystery 

ILLICENT, where, Oh, where did you resurrect that heir¬ 
loom,” cried Asia as she shut her exercise book with a 
slam and wheeled around on the piano stool. 

Millicent who was posing in the doorway for her cousin’s benefit 
crossed the room and stood before a mirror to drape the silken folds 
of the shawl around her shoulders. 

“You call it an heirloom as if you knew its history,” she said. 
“That’s what it is — ” 

“Funny how you came to know about it!” 

“ Funnier that you didn’t! ” 

“ Funny? Why, I never saw it before.” 

“ But you have heard of it! ” 

“No!” 

“Oh, you’re joking! Here I'm only a cousin and I've heard 
its history!” 



( 109 ) 






110 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


Millicent thought she detected a hidden meaning in the voice 
more than in the words of the speaker which aroused her curiosity. 

She stepped quickly to Asia’s side. 

“ Well, to whom did it belong? ” 

“ Why, to — Oh, you’re just teasing — you know all about it! ” 

“ No, why should I, when no one ever told me?” 

“ That’s the strange part, that no one ever told you — but per¬ 
haps — ” 

“Well, perhaps what?” Millicent returned sharply, tired of 
her cousin’s evasions. 

Asia fingered the buttons on her cuff while she said rather con¬ 
strainedly — 

“ Oh — why — then — ” 

“Well —then —why?” 

“ Maybe Aunt Kate didn’t want you to know! ” 

“The idea! Why not me when you know — ” 

“Oh, it’s nothing — just an every-day affair — but there comes 
Cora up the street. I want to speak to her! ” 

“ I’ll ask mamma about the shawl! ” 

Asia, who was going out the door, turned back and said impres¬ 
sively : 

“ Whatever you do, don’t ask her. It would only give her 
pain. There are associations — ” 



the old gray shawl 


111 


Millicent stood gazing after her cousin with a puzzled expres¬ 
sion. 

“ Why all this mystery,” she mused, “ and if there is any¬ 
thing unusual connected with the shawl, why have I never heard 
of it? ” 

The shawl was a flimsy thing of a silver gray shade with a 
black silken knotted fringe; a faint tracery of black silk threads 
ran through it to within a few inches of the fringe where the threads 
were more heavily woven to form a border of black and gray. So 
old-fashioned and so dainty, it had at once aroused Millicent’s ad¬ 
miration when, rummaging through a box in the attic, she had come 
across it just an half hour before. 

Asia’s vague words gave it an added interest. 

“Oh, you precious old thing! To think that you have a his¬ 
tory— and a mystery! I’ll wait and make that aggravating Asia 
unravel it for me. But why it should vex mamma to be asked about 
it I can’t see! Maybe it belonged to grandma — but then mamma 
loves to talk about her and to show me things that belonged to 
her. She always says that if we really believe our dead are only 
sleeping and their spirits happy in heaven then we should act as if 
we believed,” mused the little maid as she folded the shawl and 
ran upstairs to put it away. 

Asia Grove and her sixteen-year-old brother, Paul, lived in the 



112 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


city a hundred miles away. They had come the previous week to 
spend vacation at River view. 

Asia was thirteen years old, large for her age and sometimes 
acted like a young lady, but she and nine-year-old Millicent had at 
once “ struck up ” a friendship. Millicent felt proud of Asia’s prefer¬ 
ence for her society in view of the fact that the other girls, her sisters, 
Cora and Maud, were nearer Asia's age. 

The latter liked to watch Millicent's eyes opening wider and 
wider as she told of the happenings at the boarding school which 
she had attended a couple of terms. Millicent enjoyed the recital 
of the fun and frolic, the pranks the pupils played on each other, 
the midnight banquets on stolen sweets, the many methods of eluding 
rules and deluding teachers, but she was half frightened at the 
thought of being there among so many strangers. She felt that she 
would never, never feel at home as did Asia who was evidently a 
ringleader in all these stirring events; she half envied the self- 
possession and the daring of her mischief-loving but warm-hearted 
friend. Perhaps Asia sometimes exaggerated the fun and the dan¬ 
ger but if so, her hearer’s open-eyed astonishment was an excuse; to 
embellish a tale for the ears of an appreciative auditor is certainly 
a temptation which a born raconteur can seldom resist. 

Asia looking into her little cousin’s dreamy eyes saw herself a 
heroine, and felt that she was admired immensely; unconsciously 



THE OLD GRAY SHAWL 113 


she tried to act up to what Millicent expected of her in generosity 
and courage; their intimacy had a reciprocal good, in toning the 
older girl's exuberant spirits while increasing the self-reliance of 
the younger. 

“ I’d be so afraid of the big girls! I do hope mamma won’t 
send me away to school! ” Millicent exclaimed one day. 

Her sisters laughed at her dismay, saying they would be glad 
to go. 

“Anywhere, anywhere away from this pokey old place,” cried 
Cora. 

“ It keeps one such a ‘ muff ’ to stay at home,” added Maud. 

“ And one learns a lot by mingling with the world,” declared 
Asia with her most worldly-wise air. 

“ There’s one thing you don’t learn,” said Paul as he entered 
the room at this juncture. 

“ And what is that, pray? ” inquired Asia. 

“ How to spell! ” His sister gave him a withering look. 

“You know that letter you gave me the other day from Aurora 
Simmons — ” 

“Which contained a message for you? Yes.” 

“Well, she spelled pitcher — p-i-c-h-e-r.” 

“ A mere slip of the pen — she overlooked the T! ” 

“And that supercilious Vera Styles wrote 'please ancer imme - 


8 



114 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


jutly /" continued Paul, spelling out the last words. “ If these 
boarding school prodigies see a new piece of ribbon on another girl, 
they cry rapturously ‘ How sweet! ’ and when they gaze upon the 
ocean or Niagara Falls, it’s ‘How sweet’ again. They never say 
the right thing! ” 

“ Well, what do you want them to say, Mr. Smart? ” 

“ Nothing. But that’s an impossibility for a girl! ” 

“ But not for a dead Indian! Paul, did you know that there’s 
an Indian chief buried over on the knob?” said Maud, who always 
preserved her calm. 

“Say, is there? Shades of Hiawatha! Let’s go visit him,” 
Paul exclaimed. 

“ Yes, and you can call out to him: — ‘ Say, Chieftain what 
are you doing there?’ and he will answer—‘Nothing!’” 

There was a chorus of laughter at Paul’s expense, but for once 
Maud’s serenity was upset. Paul chased her around the room until 
she fell exhausted, when the other girls came to her rescue in a 
simultaneous onslaught upon the almost victorious lad. 



CHAPTER II 


A History 

HE old shawl had been replaced in the box from whence it 
had been taken but Millicent’s curiosity concerning it re¬ 
fused to be laid as easily. She could not get her thoughts 
away from it. Day after day she teased her cousin about it, but 
Asia gave only evasive replies and tried to avoid the subject until 
one evening when they had gone for a walk, and the younger girl 
refused to talk of anything else, Asia, worn out of patience ex¬ 
claimed : 

“ Well, I’ll tell if you promise not to say a word to your ma 
or any of the others! ” 

“ I won’t! ” 

“You won’t promise! Then I’ll not tell!” 

“Oh, Asia, you know I mean I won — promise not to tell!” 

“ You won’t promise not to tell! ” 

“ I promise — promise — promise! ” 

Giggling like school girls and other idiots, as Paul would say, 
they walked on, for a time incapable of speech. 



(115) 





116 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


“ Well, go ahead, there’s a dear,” coaxed Millicent at length, 
hanging on her cousin's arm. 

Asia’s countenance assumed a sober cast. She said gravely: 

“ Have you never heard any remarks about yourself — that you 
do not resemble any of your family?” 

“Often and often! I’m fair and skinny — ” 

“ Say ‘ lissome 9 as they do in novels.” 

“ And the rest are dark and fat! But what’s that to do with it? ” 

“ Then the other day old Mrs. Gould said to Aunt Kate, 
4 Why, no one who didn’t know the family would ever take Millicent 
for a child of yours.’ ” 

“Yes — but what’s that got to do with the gray shawl?” 

“Everything!” returned Asia impressively. 

She paused. 

“Well, go on!” persisted Millicent. 

“ Well — the truth is — you are not her child! ” 

Millicent laughed derisively. 

“ Get out, you silly! ” 

“ As they never told you, perhaps I’m doing wrong to say 
anything, but you insisted.” 

“ Go on with your fairy tale! ” 

“ Well, it’s something of that kind. You were left at the door 
one night in the spring all wrapped up in that gray shawl — ” 



the old gray shawl 


117 


“The — gray — shawl! ” 

“ The folks were all in the sitting room that night for there was 
a light rain when all at once they heard the gate click. Uncle went 
out to see who was coming and he almost stumbled over a bundle. 
He picked it up and felt something squirming. He opened the 
shawl and there was the tiniest baby about a year old. They all 
crowded around and made a great fuss but the baby paid no atten¬ 
tion, kept laughing up at Uncle, which proved she was a sly little 
piece, for when some one proposed to send her away to the poor 
house or the foundlings’ home or wherever it was, Uncle wouldn’t 
hear of it and Aunt was just as crazy, so — they took you in! ” 

“Then I’m a foundling, a charity child!” 

“ No one knows that — hardly.” 

Millicent asked no more questions and Asia rattled on regarding 
something else, forgetful of the gray shawl. She did not notice her 
cousin’s sudden gravity nor did she suspect the pangs her careless 
recital had entailed. Millicent’s heart was aching but her extreme 
sensitiveness caused her to hide her suffering from Asia. 

The story of the gray shawl impressed her in spite of herself. 
She tried to become interested in her companion’s gay talk but the 
words “ the poor house,” “ a foundling,” kept ringing in her ears. 
She could not shut them away. 

L,ate that night when the rest of the household was sleeping, 



118 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


Millicent lay awake. She felt so forlorn. The love she had taken 
as a matter of course from her parents and sisters was only meted 
out as a sort of charity. She could not recall the slightest difference 
in their treatment of her unless it might be an overindulgence ex¬ 
tended to her as the youngest of the family. How kind they had 
always been! 

“ I must try and be extra good to them to make up for it/’ she 
mused. 

In the days which followed, Millicent found herself almost 
unconsciously watching her father and mother, comparing their man¬ 
ner to her and the others. She had never been in the least jealous 
nor had she desired any particular manifestation of their love which 
she had hitherto accepted as freely as the sunshine and the air, but 
now every kind word said, each renewed token of love was con¬ 
sidered an additional charity. How could they possibly have the 
same affection for her as for their own children and yet she detected 
if anything a partiality displayed toward herself. She concluded 
sadly that this was a proof of their wish to compensate so that she 
might never be made to feel her true position. 

She loved them all so dearly, her heart clung to them more 
fondly than ever; it was terrible to feel that she had no right to their 
love! She wished Asia had never told her the history of the gray 
shawl for she could not forget that she was an alien in the happy 



THB OLD GRAY SHAWL 


119 


family group; she could not keep from that hateful, spying watch. 

Alas, we generally find what we seek! And so it fell out with 
Millicent in the course of a few days. 

It was in June, the weather was not uncomfortably warm; the 
bushes hung heavy with roses; the windows and doors stood open, 
breathing in the scented air and giving out another odor which Milli¬ 
cent detected as she came through the gate. 

“ Cake! ” she cried, rapturously sniffing it in. 

She hurried around the walk to the back porch and entered the 
heated kitchen. Mrs. Grove upon seeing her turned hastily and 
put something away in the cupboard. 

“ I thought it smelled kind o’ cake-y around here,” observed 
Millicent. 

The lady smiled. 

“ Perhaps the scent of that jelly roll I baked last Saturday still 
clings to the kitchen.” 

“ Not very likely since today’s Wednesday,” thought Millicent. 

She felt she was being deceived and she crept sorrowfully away. 
All that day and the next she received new proofs that she was being 
kept in the dark. 

Upon two occasions her mother was found in conference with 
the other girls and upon Millicent’s drawing near they would stop 
suddenly and make some rambling remark. 



120 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


“ She's always putting her neb in where it's not wanted/' cried 
Cora petulantly. 

Mrs. Grove smiled. 

“ Millicent will learn her proper place some day ere long,” she 
remarked. 

Millicent smiled bravely, tossed her head and turned away with 
an unconcerned air, until she was out of sight, then she made a bee 
line for the attic. 

She went. to the dingy box, took out the gray shawl and 
wrapping it around her, sat down on the box. She wrinkled her 
brow in puzzling meditation. 

“ What did mamma mean by that ? ‘Her proper place’—Am I to 
be made a housemaid here when I'm old enough? ” she asked herself. 

Certainly it appeared fair enough that she should work and 
help to pay for what had been expended upon her; but to a little girl 
who had always considered herself one of the most important mem¬ 
bers of the family it seemed a cruel fate. 

“ And all that I really own in the world is this hideous old 
rag!” she cried, as she dragged from her shoulders the offending 
article which only a short time before she had called “ exquisite ” 
and “ interesting.” 

“ How I hate you, I hate you! ” she exclaimed, flinging it from 
her in a sudden rage. 



THE OLD GRAY SHAWL 


121 


Presently her wrath subsided; she wiped away her tears, picked 
up the shawl from the dusty floor and replaced it in the box. 

She went down to the dining room where she found the girls 
taking out the silver ware and the best china preparatory to a clean¬ 
ing, with Paul swathed in a large kitchen apron as an assistant. 

“ What’s all this for?” ejaculated Millicent. 

“ Little pitchers should be seen and not heard! ” 

“ Little pitchers without a T ? ” inquired Paul. 

“Hand me that salad bowl and be careful — it’s as old — as 
old!” 

“ Sure what difference will it make then if I smash it? I’ll get 
Aunt Kate a bran’ new one instead with a posy wreath around 
it! ” returned Paul, handling the fragile object with a show of care¬ 
lessness which terrified the girls. 

“ A fine butler you would make! ” said Maud witheringly. 

“ Wouldn’t I ? All done up in brass buttons and things! ” 

Paul strutted proudly around the room with the blue apron 
flapping against his legs. Then he put the precious bowl upside 
down on his head and taking a corner of the apron in each hand 
executed a dance. 

“ Why is Paul’s head like this salad bowl ? ” demanded Cora as 
she rescued the latter article. 

“’Cause it’s empty!” came a shrill answering chorus. 



122 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


Then they turned their energies to the brightening of the 
silver while Millicent hurried out to the orchard to sit rumi¬ 
nating. 

Why had she never noticed it before — the manner in which 
she was ignored on all occasions ? Could it be that it was no new 
thing, that they had always treated her as one in the way and that 
she had not noticed it simply because she had not known? These 
perplexing questions made her head ache. 

“Am I the same girl I was a few days ago? No, then I was 
papa’s and mamma’s little girl and Maud’s and Cora’s sister — now 
I am nobody in a gray shawl! ” 

The next day Mrs. Grove had company — an old friend who 
had arrived for luncheon. 

Glancing across the table, she remarked, — 

“ Kate, who would believe Millicent belonged to this family! 
Not the faintest resemblance! ” 

Millicent flushed painfully. 

“ It’s no crime to be the best looking of the family I hope. If 
so I’m the guilty one in mine! You girls needn’t look so jealous at 
me and Millicent, we can’t help it. We were born so and it grows 
on us! ” Paul cried, diverting their attention. Millicent flashed him 
a comprehending glance, whereupon he continued: 

“ Maud and Cora are decorated with black eyes, not through 



THE OLD GRAY SHAWL 


123 


any fault of their own, while Millicent’s are like blue stars shining 
on a misty night.” 

Paul was a poet; a failing he tried to keep concealed for fear 
of the girls “ giving him the laugh ” which they did now, all but 
Millicent, who felt a sort of satisfaction with her eyes and the boy’s 
appreciation. 

“ Paul’s an old darling! ” she declared. 



CHAPTER III 


A Reverie 

ILLICENT, put on your blue batiste and the wide sash; I 
want you to take this basket over to Miss Dent’s,” said 
Mrs. Grove later in the day. 

Millicent hastened to get ready. She thought it strange that 
no one clamored to accompany her for they all considered it a treat 
to go to Miss Dent’s. 

The girls flocked with her to the gate and waved her good-bye. 

“As if they were rejoiced to be rid of me,” thought Millicent, 
and when her mother called after her, “ Don’t hurry back; Paul will 
go to meet you at seven o’clock,” her fears were confirmed. 

“That’s it — they’re going to have company and I would be 
the one too many! ” 

Miss Dent lived across the bridge a couple of miles away. 

“The walk will do you good, my dear. You are looking pale 
today,” Mrs. Grove had observed kindly. 

Millicent would have taken the remark and the commission in 
good faith a few days earlier but now she was haunted by the con¬ 
viction that she was being sent out of the way. 

(124) 





THE OLD GRAY SHAWL 


125 


It was a small house, that of Miss Dent’s, with a big garden 
at the back in which the children delighted to play; the cosy front 
room too held many attractions, pretty things, the accumulated 
treasures of years, strange shells and pearls and corals presented to 
Miss Dent long years ago by a sailor lover who had gone down 
with his ship one stormy night. 

The girls used to wonder if Miss Dent had forgotten him; she 
never alluded to her youthful romance, but Millicent learned the 
truth that day. 

The lady found her little friend unusually quiet; nothing seemed 
to arouse her interest; thinking to amuse her, she displayed a col¬ 
lection of old family portraits, at last she opened a little square vel¬ 
vet-lined case and showed Millicent the daguerreotype of a youth 
with frank eyes and a bold careless air. 

“ ‘ On a bed of green sea flowers thy limbs shall be laid, 

Around thy white bones the red coral shall grow; 

Of thy fair yellow locks threads of amber be made, 

And every part suit to thy mansion below. 

Days, months, years and ages shall circle away, 

And still the dark waters above thee shall roll; 

Earth loses thine image forever and aye, 

Oh, sailor boy, sailor boy, peace to thy soul!’ ” 

Millicent quoted these verses which she had found in an old 
book up in the attic. 





126 


THE F AIRY CHASER 


She glanced at the gray hair and. the wrinkled face of the 
woman and then back to the picture of the dashing sailor lad; they 
were surely ill-mated, those two, thought Millicent until she saw the 
beautiful light in the lady’s eyes as she gazed upon the pictured face. 

“It is her soul — souls don’t grow old,” was Millicent’s wise 
conclusion. The aged countenance and the pictured face of the youth 
no longer seemed incongruous. 

Then Miss Dent gave her the accordion to play while she went 
out to prepare supper. 

Millicent. played a few tunes on the old-fashioned instrument 
and as she evoked the strains of “ Way Down South in Dixie,” 
she thought of a sunny afternoon in the previous summer when she 
had heard it played upon a harp, and presently found herself think¬ 
ing of the little girl in the band who had come along the street 
with an Italian, a harp, and a monkey. 

The man played, the girl danced, and the monkey went among 
the children, hat in hand. He was a curious little creature in a red 
cap which he would doff politely. Millicent had been most interested 
in him; now her thoughts were centered in the girl. 

What if she, Millicent, had been adopted by one of these 
wandering musicians and had gone through the world in her gray 
silk shawl singing and amusing the other children? To be sure 
she had no voice for singing but then she could play the accordion. 










«»»*m»*w»sasasa 


, * 


“It is her soul—souls don’t grow old.” 


























the old gray shawl 


129 


She saw. herself playing in front of the Groves’ house in its 
frame of green trees and pink June roses with all the children except 
poor Millicent running to the gate to see what was going on, and 
then attracted by their joyful shouting a lady and gentleman came 
out of the house; the lady said it was a pity to see a child so young 
tramping the dusty highway; the gentleman gave the monkey a gold 
piece for the little girl, and Paul, who some way happened to be 
there, said her eyes reminded him of — 

“ Pumpkin pie, — Millicent,” called Miss Dent cheerily, “ I 
know you’re fond of it! ” The dreamer jumped up hastily and fol¬ 
lowed her hostess into the little apartment which served as a sitting 
and dining room where a climbing bush heavy with roses of deepest 
crimson hung in through the window, and a small square table 
stood in the centre of a rag carpet rug, all bordered around with 
well-scrubbed pine flooring. 

Miss Dent’s treasures in the shape of her best china and de¬ 
licious preserves, together with the pie, of an artistic golden brown, 
were the ornamental adjuncts to a toothsome meal which ungrate¬ 
ful Millicent failed to appreciate. Her thoughts bridged the river 
to her own home where they were all doubtless gathered around the 
table forgetful of her. 

“ Why are you so unusually quiet, Millicent? What were you 

studying so profoundly just now in the parlor? ” 

9 



130 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


“I was thinking — wondering what if I were not Millicent 
Grove but only a foundling — ” 

“ Nonsense, child, you have been reading some foolish romance,” 
Miss Dent said. Then she changed the conversation, trying to win 
her guest to a more cheerful frame of mind, which was additional 
evidence to the latter that Miss Dent, too, knew the mystery of the 
gray shawl. 

“ I think I’ll go home now,” she remarked shortly after lunch 
and the lady, with gentle tact, did not urge her to remain. 



CHAPTER IV 


A Surprise 

ILLICENT accomplished the return journey with quick, 
impatient steps and it was just half past six when she en¬ 
tered the familiar white gate which led to the house. She 
hurried along the path into the hall and ran lightly up the stairs, 
unseen by any of the family, whose voices rang merrily through the 
dining room door, bringing a pang to her heart. 

“ I’ll never be missed,” was her sorrowful conviction. 

Getting out a few articles of clothing, she wrapped them in the 
gray shawl which she had brought from the attic and spread out 
on the floor. Then she wrote a good-bye note to her parents, which 
although it took a long time proved very unsatisfactory, and another 
to Asia telling her the denouement of the gray shawl’s history and 
for her not to take any blame upon herself as she, Millicent, had 
insisted upon knowing. 

“ And oh, Asia, dearest, I feel worse if possible, than if I were 
going away to boarding school! ” which pathetic flight of fancy she 
knew would harrow the feelings of her cousin. 



( 131 ) 





132 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


Then Millicent went around the room taking leave of her pet 
belongings: — the engraving of an angel guarding a sleeping child 
which hung on the wall beside her bed, a pretty china vase, a small 
goblet of thin blue glass, a quaint Japanese box with a key in which 
were sundry treasures, beads and a ring too small for her wear¬ 
ing—all gifts from friends and schoolmates, and a beloved volume 
of Miss Alcott’s “ Eight Cousins ” which she had read seven times 
at least and intended to make it eight, one for each cousin as Paul 
suggested. 

“ Of course they belonged to Millicent Grove and I should like 
to keep some of them but I'll take only what belonged to the found¬ 
ling, this old shawl,” said Millicent heroicallv as she gathered up 
the bundle and turned away. 

She stood for a moment at the head of the stairs to reconnoiter. 
No one being visible, she made a rapid descent and crept from the 
house just as the hall clock pointed to half past seven. She was 
so absorbed in getting away unobserved that every other feeling 
was swallowed up. 

When she reached the last turn in the road from which the 
house was visible she stood and waved it good-bye. Her own little 
window and the two in the attic glowed in the setting sun like tender, 
watching eyes and she walked backward until their friendly gaze 
could no longer be seen. 



the old gray shawl 


133 


It was necessary to retrace her steps part of the way to Miss 
Dent’s; fearing to meet Paul on his return from there, she climbed the 
fence in a lonely part of the road and hid in the shade of some bushes. 

Soon he came along whistling merrily. 

“ He expects to find me at home. I’ve half a notion to call 
him and say good-bye; I’m sure he wouldn’t tell, but then I promised 
Asia I wouldn’t say a word to any one! ” 

The lad walked briskly down the road past her hiding place, 
kicking the stones in his path until he was out of sight; when at 
last even his cheery whistling was no longer heard, Millicent felt 
strangely alone. 

The sun went down behind the hills, but still she crouched in 
the bushes thinking of the dear ones at home. 

She started to her feet and gazed in the direction of the beloved 
spot which they inhabited. 

Would it be better to return? 

Involuntarily she stepped forward. Her foot knocked against 
the bundle which lay on the grass. The sight of the gray shawl 
brought a sudden revulsion of feeling. She felt that she could not 
go back, but when she glanced ahead at the long lonely road stretch¬ 
ing so far away to the crowded town, a dread of the journey pressed 
suddenly upon her and she sank to the ground with her face in the 
dew-wet grass. 



134 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


>fc ijs ^ H 4 H 4 * 

All at once she felt two arms around her, kisses on her face 
and a voice exclaimed: — 

“Why, Millie, old girl — I was only joking! I made that all 
up for fun! You are my own cousin — you are Aunt’s and Uncle’s 
own little girl! ” 

“ Oh, Asia! ” Millicent sat up with a rapturous cry. 

“ It was mean of me, but goosie,” continued Asia, wiping her 
cousin’s tear streaked face, “ how was I to know you were such a 
goose! I never thought of it since, and you never said a word! 
When Paul came in and said you had started home before he reached 
Miss Dent’s I ran up to your room and found both notes! Here 
they are! ” 

“Tear them up, Asia, and don’t tell! But why did you all 
act so queer and want to get rid of me to-day?” 

“No more foolish questions! Come along home and wash your 
face; I see you have your good duds on! ” 

They hurried joyously hand in hand, along the road. 

“ Look, Asia, look! The house is lit up from attic to cellar!” cried 
Millicent when they came in sight of home, “What’s the matter?” 

“ There you go again! You ask as many questions as a human 
child, but I won’t tell you any more fairy stories! Let’s creep in 
around the back way so no one will see us! ” 



the old gray shawl 


135 


Upon reaching their room it took only a few minutes to wash 
their faces and brush their hair. 

Then Asia draped the gray silk shawl around her cousin. 

“Aunt Kate says her great aunt Millicent, who was quite a 
belle and married a real live count, owned this shawl; it came with 
other personal effects after her death from Paris.” 

“ I’ve often heard of Aunt Millicent. I was named for her! ” 

“Yes, and Aunt Kate always intended you to have this shawl! 
She had forgotten all about it until I asked her. But come 
along! ” 

As they hurried down the stairs, a crowd of girls and boys in 
gala attire trooped into the hall. 

“ Here she comes! ” they exclaimed; they seized Millicent and 
led her into the parlor, which was decked with flowers and brightly 
illuminated. 

Ere she could express her surprise the mingled tones of a harp 
and violin were heard and the young people started to dance. 

“Come with me, — ” cried Paul, waltzing the bewildered Mil¬ 
licent across the hall to the dining room. 

The table was drawn out to its full length, covered with a 
beautiful white cloth and glittering with silver and glassware and 
china. Right in the centre was a lovely big cake upon which 
gleamed a number of candles. 



136 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


Almost unconsciously Millicent counted them. 
“ Why, it’s my tenth birthday! ” she cried. 






CECILIA’S GIFT 


HE fairies of the Stream and Hillside held an indignation 
meeting. It was a bright moonlight night, and therefore 
they had not lit their gas—(which some folks call the 
will-o’-the-wisp.) A crowd of them perched aloft on the branches 
of a blackberry bush, a few walked to and fro on the greensward, 
while others were seated on a decayed, moss-covered log. 

A fairy of unusual size — his weight almost bent the mush¬ 
room which served as a speaker’s platform — was the first to present 
his grievance. He was perhaps an inch and a half high, and wore 
a coat-of-mail made of shining fish scales, with knee-breeches of 
some purple-colored material, and he carried a fierce-looking sword 
formed of a fish’s fin. 

“It is becoming unbearable to have this mortal invade our 
haunts and make herself so much at home here,” he said, brandish¬ 
ing his sword. “ Day after day she wades through our waters, 
disturbing our slumbers; or she sits on the bank, fishing-rod in hand, 
to catch our fishes with a crooked pin. She is a coward, too, for 

( 137 ) 






138 


THU FAIRY CHASER 


the other day I watched the pin and put a crawfish on it and she 
almost fainted when she drew it up, wriggling, from the water.” 

“ Ha, ha; ho, ho! ” some of the listeners cried merrily, “ How 
I should love to have seen her face.” 

The speaker frowned and took his seat in a huff, while the 
queen fairy, a slight, graceful being in a robe made of water lilies 
with a dew-drop crown on her golden tresses, repressed a smile 
and waved to her subjects to be quiet. She was seated on a mossy 
throne. Six maids of honor stood on each side, those on the right 
dressed in pink and the others in blue, while each held a fire-fly in 
her hand to give the queen light. 

“ Silence,” the queen said, her voice as soft as a gentle breeze, 
and no sound was heard, although a giddy young fairy almost 
choked trying to repress her giggling, at which her mamma shook 
her head warningly. 

“ How many of you have seen this intruder ? ” 

A thousand voices cried, “ I.” 

“ Strange I have not seen her myself,” the queen said musingly. 
“ Prince-of-the-Hawthorn, please describe her appearance.” 

A little fellow in a green coat, a white vest and red leggings 
stepped forward, saluted the queen with a low bow and took the 
platform. 

“ My sovereign lady,” said he in a clear voice, “ I have seen 



CECILIA’S GIFT 


130 


this mortal frequently; she is a small-sized creature about eight 
years old, her eyes are as blue as Johnny-jump-ups, her cheeks as 
red as the hawthorn berry and her hair droops like a sunbeam over 
her shoulders.” 

A murmur of dissent ran through the crowd and a pert looking 
fairy in a gorgeous costume made of poppy leaves tossed her head 
scornfully, crying, “ Sunbeams, that tow-headed girl! ” 

Prince-of-the-Hawthorn looked inquiringly toward the throne. 

“ Perhaps some one else could give a better description. I only 
say what I think.” 

“ No, no, you may proceed,” the queen answered graciously. 

“ She seems to be a very kind-hearted little thing; for though 
she does sometimes catch the minnows, she always takes them gently 
off the hook and puts them back into the stream.” 

A mite wearing a white dress and a rainbow hood chimed in, 
in a piping voice: 

“ She not only robs the stream, but she takes our flowers, and 
only the other day when I was reclining beneath a cluster of violets, 
she threw herself on the ground to read a book and almost crushed 
the life out of me with her elbow! ” 

“ She did not know you were there,” Prince-of-the-Hawthorn 

said. 

“ She caught my Royal Butterfly, the one I always travel on, 



140 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


and brushed some of the gold off his wings,” cried one of the queen’s 
pink maids, aggrievedly. 

“ He is such a great big beauty that I suppose she was only 
admiring him, and did not know she was injuring his wings. If 
she wished, she could have taken him away and run a pin through 
him and kept him to show to her friends.” 

The pink maiden shed tears at the very idea, whereupon her 
friends exclaimed, “Prince, how can you!” 

“ I was only explaining that she is not an ill-meaning mortal. 
I shall say no more.” Whereupon the Prince retired. 

A fairy attired in a robe of white and blue stripes took the 
place vacated. 

“ I propose that we institute a war against the creature and 
drive her out of our domain! ” 

The air rang with cheers, and several fairies stood up and cried, 
“ I second the motion! ” 

“War, war,” was echoed on all sides, while a wee lady in 
violet turned to fairy Prince-of-the-Hawthorn and whispered sym- 
pathizingly, “ I am so sorry.” 

Then the armies were organized, the fairies of the Stream, 
headed by the big fairy with the coat-of-mail, and the Hillside 
fairies, led by the fairy dressed in blue and white. All the fairies, 
young and old, little and big, were enlisted in the good cause, except 




CECILIA’S GIFT 


141 


a few friends of fairy Prince-of-the-Hawthorn who had nothing to 
say against the common enemy. 

And when little Cecilia, in her blue frock and white apron, 
and blue gingham sunbonnet, came tripping to her favorite play¬ 
ground the next day with a basket on her arm, in which to carry 
home some ivy and moss for hanging baskets, and a story book 
in the basket to read, she was as happy as a lark, all unconscious 
of the terrible charges that had been brought against her. 

She threw the basket on the grass, and, selecting a dry, soft 
place, sat down in the shade of a willow tree and opened her book, 
while thousands of her enemies crowded around, eager to see the 
effect of the first blow directed against her. Of course she could 
not see them, for it is only when a fairy deigns to bathe a mortal’s 
eyes in dew-cordial that he can do that. 

“Buzz! buzz!” a big black and yellow bee, one of the fairies' 
honey gatherers, who had been hiding in a catnip flower awaiting a 
signal from them, flew out suddenly and stung poor Cecilia on the 
hand. The fairies shouted joyously at their success, for the child 
jumped to her feet, wringing her hand and dancing a regular war 
dance of agony, while the bee retreated and then advanced, anxious 
to inflict another sting, but she was too wary to be caught again. 
She rubbed the place with leaves until the pain subsided, and then 
proceeded to hunt her ivy and moss. 



142 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


“ Ouch! ” she said aloud, a moment later, when a thorn art¬ 
fully concealed in the leaves ran into her finger. The pink fairy 
and her companions* who had dragged the thorn there, clapped 
their hands and smiled teasingly at the sober-faced fairy Prince-of- 
the-Hawthorn, who disapproved of the whole affair. 

In the evening the fairies held a meeting congratulating them¬ 
selves on the success of their first day’s assault and formed plans 
for the night. 

From that day forward, Cecilia met with misfortune every 
time she went to the woods. One day while crossing the stream a 
crab fastened himself to her foot. She had removed her shoes and 
stockings, carrying them in her hand, and down they fell into the 
water, while she held up her foot and cried in terror at the monster 
who clung to it. After a vigorous shaking he fell off, and she 
picked up her shoes and one stocking, — for the other was borne 
away by the stream, — and hurried to the shore; quite often a 
thousand-legged worm would fall from the leaves overhead on to 
her back; if she picked up a honey-pod, it was sure to be worthless, 
for each night the fairies hunted for the good ones and replaced 
them with the bad. The ivy with which she often decked her dress 
and fair hair until she looked like a real wood-goddess, was infested 
with little green bugs; and when she crossed the stream another 
day a shining water snake glided beneath her feet. Altogether the 




Thousands of her enemies crowded around. 






CECILIA’S GIFT 


145 


fairies were very troublesome, and Cecilia had never a day of thor¬ 
ough pleasure like those of old. 

The fairy Prince-of-the-Hawthorn still protested against this 
treatment of the little girl who was always kind and gentle and 
never harmed a living creature. 

“ That’s all very well; ” said fairy Poppy-Red, “ but you can¬ 
not deny that she takes the flowers! ” 

“ No, you can’t deny that,” the pert pink maid-of-honor added. 

“ I do not wish to deny it, but what harm can that do ? There 
are thousands of flowers here; we do not need them all, and she 
often takes them to Hallie Rose, a little blind girl who lives in the 
town.” 

“How do you know that?” the queen added, interested. 

“From Robin Redbreast, who goes every day to the apple-tree 
near Mr. Rose’s house to sing to Hallie, and he says Cecilia also 
put a beautiful hanging basket in the window, where Hallie can 
attend to it.” 

Afraid that the queen’s sympathy would be aroused, Miss 
Poppy-Red cried: “Well, one thing is certain; I saw her carrying 
a pigeon away from here a few day's ago! ” 

Fairy Violette, the little friend of Prince-of-the-Hawthorn, who 
did not often speak in public, said modestly: 

“The pigeon’s mamma told me that young Sir Pigeon was 

10 



146 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


hit by a stone and little Cecilia took him home and attended to 
him tenderly until his wing grew stronger, when she brought him 
back to the woods. Mrs. Pigeon cannot praise her too highly.” 

It was plain to be seen that the fairy queen was much impressed 
by this good report, and no doubt would have declared the war 
against Cecilia at an end, but the big fairy with the coat-of-mail 
was of a very revengeful disposition and brought forward many 
of his friends to speak against her. 

“ Fairy Smooth Pebble, who lives on the edge of the stream, 
heard this girl and a companion making arrangements for a picnic 
to be held on the hillside next week; they will no doubt tread down 
the grass, steal the flowers, and stir up the mud in the bed of the 
brook.” 

“ Dreadful! Shame! ” were the cries. 

The queen, alarmed, consulted as to the best measures to follow 
to ward off the threatened merrymaking. 

The big fairy with the coat-of-mail proposed winning the help 
of their terrible enemy, King Copperhead, who lived among the 
bushes far up the hill, but Prince-of-the-Hawthorn entered his pro¬ 
test. 

“ My gracious lady, please do not forget the nature of this wily 
creature, King Copperhead. I do not doubt that he will agree to 
aid you, but you will be in his debt; he is cruel and treacherous; 




CECILIA’S GIFT 


147 


he may learn many of our secrets, perhaps the one that would give 
him the power of injuring us.” 

The poor queen was dazed by the different counsels of her 
subjects; she was secretly very much afraid of King Copperhead; 
but many of the fairies, among whom were Fairy Blue-and-White 
and Miss Poppy-Reel, scouted the thought of any danger to the 
fairy nation from the old king’s help. 

“Think of the dreadful scare it will give the little girl, she may 
never recover from it,” a tender-hearted creature remarked. 

They could not agree upon what to do, for King Copperhead 
was very much disliked by most of the fairies; they at last decided 
to hold another meeting beneath the sycamore tree on the bank of 
the stream the next moonlight night to try and come to an agree¬ 
ment. 

But the fairies learned in the interval of a greater danger that 
threatened them, and the queen called for a meeting to talk it over. 
All her subjects from far and near were present. 

The queen had exchanged her white robes for black ones, and 
a look of sorrow was on each fairy’s face. 

“ My dear subjects, you know the cause of this meeting full 
well; old Mr. Moore, the mortal who owns this hill and all the sur¬ 
rounding country, has decided to cut down the trees here for lumber, 
to dig up the roots and flowers and grass, to fill the bed of the 



148 


THE FAIRY CHASER 


stream in order to plant corn, and then we will be homeless, and the 
place we have lived in for hundreds of years will know us no more! ” 

The queen stopped overcome while cries of lamentation filled 
the air. 

“Where shall we go?” “Alas, alas!” “To think we lived 
here when no one but the Indians roamed through the land, and 
now we must leave it.” 

The big fairy with the coat-of-mail said, “ I met old King Cop¬ 
perhead today; he was lurking beneath a blackberry bush, and when 
he saw me he swung his tail and put out his tongue and cried, 
‘ Good-bye, my friend; give my regards to your queen and all her 
subjects, and tell them my day has come at last. I shall watch your 
departure from the top of the hill!’ and then he laughed like a 
demon.” 

“ And to think we intended to ask his help,” the queen 
murmured. 

Fairy Prince-of-the-Hawthorn was too polite to say, “ I told 
you so! ” though no doubt he felt like so doing. 

“We are too much distressed to do more tonight. Please 
assemble at the big mossy log tomorrow afternoon to make arrange¬ 
ments for going,” the queen said brokenly and the crowd slowly 
and sadly dispersed. 

The hour appointed came at last and all the fairies were ready 



CECILIA’S GIFT 


149 


to greet their queen; their old time enemy, little Cecilia, was there 
picking flowers, but they did not trouble her now, for their whole 
attention was given to old Mr. Moore, who crossed the stream and 
stood looking around him. 

“ Grandpa,” cried Cecilia, as she ran to the old gentleman. 

He lifted her up until her face was on a level with his own and 
kissed her fondly ere putting her down. 

“Well, pet, what is the matter now?” 

“Don’t you know this is my birthday?” 

“ Why, to be sure it is, and I suppose I must give you a present. 
What shall it be?” 

“Will you give me whatever I ask, certain, sure?” 

“ If in my power I will, of course.” 

“ Then please give me this part of the woods! ” 

Mr. Moore looked bewildered, “Hoity, toity! you mean this 
little hill?” 

“Yes, sir; and the stream?” 

“ Well, well, what good will it be to you? I have just decided 
to have it cleared for corn-planting.” 

“ That’s why I should like to have it; you would spoil my play¬ 
ground, and if I owned it I should let it stay as it is.” 

“ Well, dearie, it is yours; the men shall not disturb it,” then 
Cecilia hugged him and called him the dearest grandpa in the world! 



150 


THU FAIRY CHASER 


The fairy queen and her subjects heard all this with joy; they 
declared that Cecilia was the best and kindest mortal that ever 
breathed. The big fairy with the coat-of-mail, and fairy Prince-of- 
the-Hawthorn shook hands and were friends ever after; all the 
fairies filled acorn cups with honey and dew and drank to the health 
of Cecilia. Prince-of-the-Hawthorn was appointed prime minister 
to the queen and Fairy Violette as chief maid of honor, her duty 
being to take care of the queen’s crown of dewdrops. 

Sometime later old King Copperhead was killed by one of Mr. 
Moore’s men, and the fairies lived in peace and content ever after, 
while little Cecilia’s visits were always welcome to their home on 
the Stream and Hillside. 


the; end. 



JUVE 

^ BY JEAN 

NILES 

K. BAIRD ^ 


Danny... 

A refreshing tale of life on Goat 
Hill, a typical Irish washerwo¬ 
man settlement. Danny, the 
pride of Mary Shannon’s heart, 
was never known to work. In¬ 
deed he was so averse to exer¬ 
tion that he once said: “Oi 
niver was no hand fur talkin.’ 
Oi don’t see no use.” A little 
crippled niece, accustomed to all 
the luxuries of life, is thrust upon 
the Shannons, and they call her 
“Ill Luck.” Before the story 
ends, however, she has become 
the “Good Luck” of the house¬ 
hold. 

Cash Three... 

Cash Three is a little cash boy 
in a great department store. 
He and his father are making a 
brave fight with poverty, while 
his aunt is spending thousands of 
dollars in an effort to locate the 
little fellow. Cash Three is 
taken ill, and then his father de¬ 
termines to seek aid of the boy’s 
wealthy relatives. On his way 
further misfortune overtakes him, 
but all three—aunt, father and 
son—spend a delightful Christ¬ 
mas together in her beautiful 
home. 


12mos. Illustrated. Attradively Bound in Cloth. Postpaid, 60c 

The Saalfield Publishing Company 

AKRON, OHIO 
































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